Thomas, J.

Two workmen while engaged in a land excavating operation, were buried alive under heaps of mud billowed on them in a landslide and the site became their grave instantaneously. Dependents of those who died in such a trice made claims for compensation from the owner of the land (appellant) and two others (respondents 2 and 3). The Workmen's Compensation Commissioner (for short 'the Commissioner') found that it was the appellant who had employed them, and on that finding he directed the appellant to pay compensation amount to the dependents of those two victims. These appeals are in challenge of the common award passed by the Commissioner.

2. There is no dispute that at the time of the catastrophe the two workmen were engaged in excavation work on appellant's land. Appellant is a registered society called "Payyannur Educational Society". Appellant's contentions were that the two workmen were not employed by the society but they were recruited by the second respondent to whom the society sold soil at the rate of Rs. 15/- per lorry load and that the mishap occurred during the operation undertaken by the second respondent who was permitted by the society to do the ex