( 1 ) ALL these appeals arise out of the same accident. The appellant in cma 2692 of 1998 is the claimant in OP 631 of 1993. He filed the appeal dissatisfied with the quantum of compensation awarded by the Tribunal. The remaining appeals are filed by the APSRTC aggrieved by the orders and decrees passed by the Tribunal granting compensation to the claimants/respondents therein by the Tribunal. As the facts and the question involved in all these cases are identical, these appeals are heard together and are being disposed of by this common order.

( 2 ) BEFORE proceeding to consider the appeals, the brief facts that led to the filing of these appeals may be noticed. On 8-3-1993, the Express RTC bus, AP 9z 4236 proceeding from Hyderabad and bound to Chilakaluripet reached Narsaraopet at 4-00 a. m. Thereafter from Narsaraopet it started at 4. 10 a. m. , and when the bus reached near the Vinukonda rail crossing gate at Narsaraopet, two persons stopped the bust and boarded the bus. Then the bus started to go to Chilakaluripet. When the bus reached Kavuru village, fire broke out due to the use of petrol and it ultimately came out that the two persons who entered the bus wit