The tribunal directed the Himachal Roadways Transport Corporation to pay Rs 20,79,000 to the parents of 24-year-old Ruchika, who died in the accident while travelling to Delhi from Shimla with her parents in 2006.
While relying on the testimony of the victim's mother, who was an eyewitness to the accident, MACT Presiding Officer Barkha Gupta said, "There is no reason to disbelieve the version of her mother as she has testified in a straight forward, cogent and convincing manner... Her presence at the spot is proved on record."
According to the petition filed by the parents of the victim, on December 2, 2006, Ruchika was travelling in the Himachal Roadways bus from Shimla to Delhi with them.
The bus was being driven in a rash and negligent manner and despite repeated requests to the driver by the passengers, he did not slow down and the bus fell into a trench after he lost control, it said.
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The driver, against whom an FIR was lodged for causing death by negligence, also died in the accident and the case was closed.
The parents of Ruchika, who was working as an accounts executive in a real estate company in south Delhi on a salary of Rs 12,000 per month, had approached the tribunal seeking compensation of Rs 20 lakh for the mental trauma and financial loss due to their daughter's death.
During the proceedings, the Himachal Roadways denied the contents of the petition and claimed that the bus was being driven at a normal speed but the accident took place due to the negligent driving of another vehicle which came from opposite direction.