Thiru Justice A. Raman, President—The complainants who are three in number travelled by the bus run by the opposite party from Chennai to Karaikkudi on 26.10.1997. The complainants who were working in Sultanate of Oman were returning home. They carried a luggage weighing about 140 kgs., which consisted of articles like T.V. set, Video cassettes, audio cassettes, pain balms, cooking set, sarees, pant bits, shirt bits, T. shirts, children dresses, jewels, gold sovereigns, watches, electrical iron box, etc., with them which according to the complainants represent the hard earnings of the complainant and the value of which is given at Rs. 2,50,000/-. The luggage weighing 140 kgs., were loaded on the top of the bus and secured with ropes. The complainant, when the bus stopped at Vikravandi, mounted the top of the bus and found the luggage intact. But, when the bus reached at Thozhudur and stopped at Thiruvalluvar Transport Corporation Service Station for filling up of diesel, the driver informed the complainants that the luggage were not found and were missing. According to the complainants, the opposite parties did not take any serious steps to trace out the luggage. They did not