A court here has held a driver and sentenced him to two years simple imprisonment and imposed varied fines on him for his culpability in a tragic road accident at Thajal Uri in which three people died and twelve others were injured on 27 June 2014.

The Court of Judicial Magistrate First Class Uri, presided over by Fozia Paul, held the driver guilty under erstwhile RPC sections of 279 (rash driving), 337 and 338 (causing hurt and grievous hurt by negligent act) and 304-A (causing death by negligence) besides Sections 3/181 and 113/194 of the Motor Vehicles Act.

“Having carefully perused the record of the case, the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses and also the judgments submitted by prosecution and the accused, I opine that the prosecution has succeeded in establishing the guilt of the accused for the commission of offenses under sections 279, 337, 338 and 304-A of RPC only and under section 3/181, 113/194 of M.V. Act beyond reasonable doubt,” the court and sentenced the accused, Naseer Ahmad Kaali, to two years of imprisonment under Section 304-A RPC along with additional imprisonment and fines under the other charges to be run concurrently. The accused was found without a valid driving license and could not produce the same before the I/O, the court said.

According to the prosecution, on 27 June 2014, a Trex vehicle (JK05B-8962), carrying passengers was on way from Uri when it went out of control from the hands of the driver and fell into deep gorge near Thajal, leading to the death of 3 passengers and injuries to a dozen others.

Soon after the accident, police had registered a case (FIR No. 30/2014) for commission of offences under erstwhile RPC sections of 279, 337 and 304-A against accused. Accordingly, after investigation, police filed chargesheet against the accused before the court on 3 February 2015.