NEW DELHI (TIP): It has been a long legal battle for an American citizen— 27 years to be precise — to get compensation for being severely injured in a road accident in 1988 near Jaipur while participating in a peace march.

Putting to an end to the battle fought by the activist’s mother in various courts in India, the Supreme Court earlier this week awarded a compensation of around Rs 1.17 crore along with interest of 6% to be paid by Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation whose bus had hit him. The rate of interest is to be paid from the date of filing the claim and the total amount may add up to more than Rs 2 crore.

A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and R K Agrawal quantified the loss caused to him and his mother due to accident in terms of US dollars and converted it into Indian rupees on the basis of exchange rate prevailing at the time of accident. The court turned down the plea of the corporation that loss should not be gauged in dollars. Alexix Sonier, the American citizen, was participating in a ‘Peace March’ on January 8, 1988 along with the citizens of various other countries from Ahmedabad to Rajghat, in New Delhi. A speeding bus of Rajasthan Corporation had hit me while he was on his way along with other activists near Jaipur.

He was severely injured in the accident and slipped into coma. He was taken to Sawai Man Singh Hospital. Three surgical operations were performed on him but he did not regain consciousness and he was shifted to Ahmedabad hospital.