Wednesday, January 19 2005 16:28 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Ten years after an unsuspecting Sarika Hora stepped on the vestibule linking two coaches of Goa Express only to slip down and die a horrifying death, the Supreme Court has directed the Railways to deposit Rs 18 lakhs awarded by the MRTPC (The Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission) as compensation to her husband and child.

While issuing notice on the appeal filed by the Union Government against the MRTPC order, a Bench comprising Justice N Santosh Hegde and Justice S B Sinha gave the liberty to the kin of Hora to withdraw the amount so deposited by the Government.

The Court directed the Government to deposit the principal amount of Rs 18 lakhs along with the interest within six weeks.

Sarika fell down through the vestibule linking coaches S-7 and S-8 on October 27, 1995 and died. This incident, after being reported in the media, was taken suo motu notice by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

Later, the kin of the deceased filed a compensation claim of Rs four crores against the Railways before the MRTPC, which awarded a compensation of Rs 18 lakhs.

The Government appealed against the Commission's award before the Supreme Court saying the compensation has to be determined only by the Railway Accident Claims Tribunal and that MRTPC had no jurisdiction to entertain the claim.