CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed Desh Bhagat University, Mandi Gobindgarh, and Aasra Foundation, the society running the institution, to pay ₹1.37 crore as compensation to a former student who suffered 100 per cent disability after a wall collapse on the campus in 2013.
The order was passed by a Division Bench comprising Justice H.S. Sethi and Justice Vikas Suri, which held the university liable for negligence leading to the life-altering injuries of Sandeep Kaur, now 23.
Sandeep Kaur, then a final-year BSc student, sustained a severe spinal fracture when a bathroom wall collapsed, burying her under a heap of debris while she was seated nearby. The accident left her permanently disabled.
Following the incident, she was initially taken to the Civil Hospital in Mandi Gobindgarh and later referred to the Government Hospital in Sector 32, Chandigarh. Subsequently, she was admitted to Alchemist Hospital in Panchkula for advanced treatment.
The court noted that the university authorities had assured the victim and her family that they would bear the medical expenses. However, they failed to honour the commitment and paid only ₹2.25 lakh towards her treatment. University had offered a compensation of Rs.5 lakh in its reply filed in the court.
Aggrieved by the lack of adequate compensation and support, Sandeep Kaur approached the High Court seeking ₹1 crore in damages. After examining the facts, the bench enhanced the compensation to ₹1.37 crore, taking into account the extent of disability, medical expenses, and loss of future prospects.
Holding the university responsible for negligence, the court ordered that the compensation be paid within three months. It further directed that the amount would carry an interest of 7.5 per cent per annum from the date of filing of the petition until the final realisation.