Accidental death due to the bite of leopard

Mr Kummari Sailu, the son of a farmer in Nizamabad, has won his case against United India Insurance in the consumer forum for failing to pay insurance after the death of his father in a leopard attack.

Mr Sailu stated that a leopard attacked his father, Balaiah Sailu, on April 2, 2013, in his agriculture field at Pedda Kodapgal. The post-mortem report stated that it was an “accidental death due to the bite of leopard.”Balaiah was covered by the group insurance policy of the Co-Operative Kisan Credit Card (PKCC) scheme. The nominee was entitled to Rs 1.5 lakh.The company stated that Mr Sailu was not a “consumer” under the Consumer Protection Act, the premium had not been paid and Balaiah was outside the insurable age bracket.

The forum said United India denying the family the insurance after the death of a breadwinner was “cruelty”. It said the age of the policy holder should have been noted when the policy was issued.The forum noted that Balaiah had died of “haemorrhage and shock” after being attacked by the leopard. It ordered United India to pay Mr Sailu Rs 1 lakh with interest of 9 per cent per annum from February 3, 2015, and Rs 50,000 for the accidental death  along with Rs 1,000 towards costs.