Sri Divakala Venkata Raghava Rao, husband of the 1st respondent and father of respondents 2 and 3, was employed as Senior Assistant in the office of Padmanabham Mandai Parishad, East Godavari District. On 6-9-2000, he was proceeding to the SubTreasury Office at Bheemunipatnam, from his house, at 10 a.m. On the way, he was hit by a bus bearing No. A. P .-9Z -6035, belonging to the appellant, and driven by the 4th respondent.

Immediately he was shifted to the nearby hospital, but was declared dead. A case under Section 304-A of IPC was registered against the 4th respondent, in the concerned police station. .

2. Respondents 1 to 3 (for short "the respondents") filed MVOP No.1717 of 2000, in the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal-cum-II Additional District Judge, Visakhapatnam, claiming a sum of Rs.B,70,0001- as compensation. They pleaded thatthe deceased was earning a salary of Rs.9,426/-, permonth, and that he was aged 54 years, by the time he died.

3. The 4th respondent remained ex parte. The matter was contested by the appellant alone. It put the respondents to strict proof of the facts pleaded by them. The allegation as

~

156

. Andhra Law 1

to the rashness and negligence, on the par