HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE A. GOPAL REDDY AND HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE RAJA ELANGO CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 637 of 2007 JUDGMENT: (Per Hon’ble Sri Justice Raja Elango) Accused Nos.1, 3 to 5, 7 to 12, 14 to 21 and 24 to 33 in S.C.Nos.104 of 2003 and 105 of 2003 on the file of the I Addl. Sessions Judge, Kurnool, are the appellants. 2. The case of the prosecution in nutshell is as follows: i) The complainant-Chinthakunta Swami Reddy P.W.1 and accused Nos.1 to 33 belong to Pedda Ananthapuram Village of Atmakur Mandal, Kurnool District. There were ill-feelings and old rivalries in Pedda Ananthapuram Village in between Duggampati Malla Reddy (hereinafter called as D.1) and A.1 and other accused to acquire domination in the village affairs regarding irrigation of lands, smuggling of forest produce, etc. Because of that reason, the accused were having an intention to kill D.1 and his younger brother Duggampati Venkata Krishna Reddy (hereinafter called as D.2). ii) While so, on 16.01.2000 at about 7.30 a.m. A.1 to A.8 and other accused armed with bombs, axes, mulberry knives, hunting sickles, spears and pattudu sticks formed into an unlawful assembly and came out of the house of Bodanapu Subba Reddy situate opposite to the drinking water well with an intention to kill D.1 and Gali Venkata Malla Reddy P.W.4. A.1 and A.2 thrown one bomb each on D.1 while he was returning home with a water pot from the drinking water well along with his nephew Gali Venkata Malla Reddy P.W.4. When the bombs exploded, the splinters caused injuries to D.1. Then, both D.1 and P.W.4 ran away by leaving the water pots accompanied by C. Swamy Reddy P.W.1. To escape from the accused, they turned their way towards southern side kallams. At that juncture, A.9 to A.22 and others armed with sickles, bombs and other lethal weapons came opposite to them and A.20 and A.22 hurled two bombs on D.1 and P.W.1 with an intention to kill them. As there was no alternative, both D.1 and P.W.1 entered into the house of D.1 and bolted the doors from inside. iii) Meanwhile, P.W.4 ran away through a by-lane. He was also chased by some of the accused. While he was being chased, A.7 caused a bleeding injury to him by hurting him on his head with a pattudu stick with an intention to kill him. Kalavathamma P.W.3, Ramanamma P.W.2 (wife of D.1), Lakshmi Devi P.W.7 (wife of P.W.1), Narayanamma P.W.5, Venkata Subba Lakshmamma P.W.6, and other ladies tried to prevent the accused from setting fire to the house of D.1. A.31 caused hurt to P.W.3 with a pattudu stick. She received an injury to left palm when she escaped from the attack on her by A.9 with an axe. P.W.2 was beaten by A.7 with a stick. A.18 and A.19 beat P.W.6 with hands and kicked on her stomach and pushed her aside. A.1, A.2 and other accused went around the house of D.1 and challenged him to come out. A.6 was instigated by A.2 to hurl bombs on the house of D.1. When 4 to 5 bombs were hurled in the verandah and on the doors of the house of D.1, they were damaged. A.8 went on the terrace of the house of D.1 and caused damage to the house and property of D.1. A.17, A.19, A.12 and other accused brought paddy hay and kerosene tins and set fire to the windows and doors of the house of D.1. Thus, all the accused with an intention to kill D.1 and P.W.1 made an attempt to kill them. When smoke spread in the house of D.1, due to suffocation, both P.W.1 and D.1 came out of the house by opening the doors. Then, the accused, who were waiting for them in the verandah, raised cries to kill them. After P.W.1 and D.1 came out of the house of D.1, A.1 to A.5 armed with hunting sickles and mulberry knives surrounded D.1 and hacked him on his neck and all over the body and killed him on the rastha in front of his house. When D.2, the younger brother of D.1, came there, the accused surrounded him also. On that, D.2 hacked A.2 with an axe and thereafter he along with P.W.1 escaped from the accused and ran towards hayrick yard. Then, A.4, A.24 to A.28, and A.30 to A.33 and some others armed with deadly weapons chased both D.2 and P.W.1. As D.2 could not run and was lagging behind, A.31, A.32, and A.26 to A.28 surrounded and hacked him to death with hunting sickles and mulberry knives. As P.W.1 was running ahead, A.24 hurled a bomb at him and it exploded on the rastha and caused splinter injuries to his legs. Thus, the accused brutally killed both D.1 and D.2 and attacked P.W.1 with an intention to kill him. iv) On oral information given by P.W.1, on the same day at about 1.00 a.m. P.W.15 the Sub Inspector of Police, Atmakur P.S., registered Crime No.1 of 2000 against the accused. After completion of investigation and receipt of necessary reports, the police filed charge sheet for the offences punishable under Sections 147, 148, 324, 452, 436, 307, 302 r/w 149 IPC and Sections 3 and 5 of the Explosives Substances Act. v) The case against A.2, A.6, A.13, and A.22 was abated before filing of charge sheet on account of their death. When all the remaining accused have appeared before the Court, the learned Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Atmakur, on numbering the case as P.R.C.No.13 of 2001, committed the case to the Sessions Division of Kurnool and the learned Sessions Judge, on receipt of the case, numbered the same as S.C.No.104 of 2003 and made over it to the I Addl. Sessions Judge, Kurnool, for disposal, in accordance with law. The charge sheet filed against A.16 (Juvenile) before the Juvenile Court was returned with a direction to file before proper Court. After it was filed before the said Court and when A.16 appeared before the Court, the learned Magistrate, on numbering the case as P.R.C.No.3 of 2003 has committed the case to the Sessions Division of Kurnool and the learned Sessions Judge, on receipt of the case, numbered the same as S.C.No.105 of 2003 and made over it to the I Addl. Sessions Judge, Kurnool, for disposal in accordance with law. The plea of the accused was of total denial. 3. At the time of trial, on a memo filed by the Addl. Public Prosecutor in S.C.No.105 of 2003 to club this case with S.C.No.104 of 2003 and to conduct joint trial in S.C.No.104 of 2003, on hearing both sides, the learned Sessions Judge clubbed S.C.No.105 of 2003 with S.C.No.104 of 2003 and recorded common evidence in both the cases. During the course of trial, the case against A.23 was abated on account of his death. 4. In order to prove the guilt of the accused, the prosecution examined P.Ws.1 to 17 and got marked Exs.P.1 to P.50 and Ex.X.1 apart from M.Os.1 to 21. On behalf of the defence, no witnesses were examined, but Exs.D.1 and D.2 were marked. 5. Among the prosecution witnesses, P.Ws. 1 to 7 are eye witnesses to the occurrence and, out of them, P.Ws.1 to 4 and 6 are the injured witnesses. 6. P.W.1 deposed that he is a resident of Pedda Ananthapuram Village and there were disputes between A.1 and D.1 in respect of irrigation rights and collection of forest produce. About four years and nine months ago at about 7.15 a.m. he went to a cattle shed of D.1 situated at Pedda Ananthapuram Village and while D.1 and P.W.4 son-in-law of D.1 were returning with water from a well in the said Village, A.1 and A.2 thrown bombs at D.1 and due to explosion, D.1 sustained splinter injuries and thereafter D.1 and P.W.4 ran away and he also ran along with them. A.3, A.4 and others armed with hunting sickles and knives ran after them stating that they were fleeing away and they were to be killed. A.22 and A.12 hurled bombs on D.1. While P.W.4 fled away, himself and D.1 entered into the house of D.1 and closed the doors as the accused were following them. Then, the accused hurled bombs on the house and also thrown hay and sprinkled kerosene at the doors and windows and set fire to them. Unable to bear the smoke, himself and D.1 came out of the house. Immediately, A.1 to A.5 and one Allugalla Venkata Reddy surrounded D.1, attacked him with mulberry knives and hunting sickles and killed him. Himself and P.Ws.2, 3 and 6 witnessed the said incident. By then, D.2, brother of D.1, armed with an axe came there from fields and hacked A.2 on his back and later himself and D.2 ran away from that place. A.25, A.30 and A.31 attacked D.2 and hacked on his scalp and legs with hunting sickles and D.2 died on the spot. He sustained injuries to his legs due to splinters when the bombs were exploded. 7. P.W.2 deposed that D.1 was her husband and on the date of incident she was in her house. On hearing the sound of explosion of bombs, she came out of the house and observed D.1 and P.W.1 running towards her house and A.1 to A.6 and others armed with hunting sickles and mulberry knives and bombs chasing D.1 and P.Ws.1 and 4. A.22, A.20 and A.12 hurled bombs against her husband, but he did not sustain any injury. P.W.4 fled away into the fields. P.W.1 and D.1 went inside her house and closed the doors. A.6 went on to the terrace of the house of A.8 and hurled bombs on her house at the instigation of A.2. A.8 climbed the stair case of her house and went on to the terrace and thrown bombs into the house through a ventilator. A.12, A.16 and A.18 brought hay and poured kerosene on the doors and windows of her house and set fire to the hay and windows and doors. As D.1 and P.W.1 were unable to bear the smoke, they opened the doors and came out of the house. Then, A.1 to A.5 took hold of D.1, dragged him out and hacked him with hunting sickles and mulberry knives. When she tried to go to the rescue of D.1, A.7 beat her with a pattudu stick on her hands and back. After coming from fields and on observing the incident, D.2 hacked A.2 with an axe on his back. On that, A.16, A.30 and A.31 and others armed with hunting sickles and mulberry knives went after D.2 and P.W.1 shouting ‘VEYANDIRA EENAKODUKULANU’. Some time later, she learnt that D.2 was also killed. P.W.1 sustained injuries to his legs due to explosion of bombs hurled by A.23. 8. P.W.3 deposed that D.1 was her husband’s younger brother and P.W.2 is his wife and D.2 was also her brother-in-law. On hearing the sound of explosion of bombs, she came out of the house and observed D.1, P.W.1 and P.W.4 rushing towards their houses and A.1 to A.7 armed with hunting sickles, mulberry knives and sticks chasing D.1 with an intention to kill him. A.9, A.16, A.10, A.17, A.20, A.22, A.12 and A.8 came from their opposite direction and prevented D.1 and P.Ws.1 and 4 from going towards thrashing floors. A.12, A.21 and A.22 hurled bombs. A.7 beat P.W.4 and being afraid of it, P.W.4 fled away and later D.1 and P.W.1 went inside the house of D.1. All the accused armed with hunting sickles, sticks and knives surrounded the house. A.6 thrown bombs on the house of D.1. A.8 climbed the terrace of house of D.1 and thrown bombs into the house through a ventilator. A.17 to 19, and A.12 brought hay, thrown it on the doors and windows of the house of D.1, poured kerosene and set fire. When herself, her daughter, P.W.2 and other co-daughters-in-law pleaded with the accused stating that they would go away from that village, A.31 has beat her with a stick on her hands and legs and also beat her co-daughters-in-law and A.9 hacked on her left thumb with an axe. Unable to bear the flames and smoke, when D.1 and P.W.1 came out of the house, A.1 to A.5 dragged D.1 and hacked him with hunting sickles and mulberry knives. When P.W.2 requested them not to kill her husband, A.7 beat her on her hands and legs with a stick. Her brother-in-law D.2 after returning home, saw the incident and hacked A.2 with an axe on his back. Then all the accused went after D.2 to kill him. Subsequently, she came to know that D.2 was also killed. There are disputes between them and A.1 in respect of irrigation rights and also collection of forest produce. 9. P.W.4 deposed that the deceased were his maternal uncles and on 16.1.2000 between 6.30 a.m. and 7.30 a.m. himself and D.1 went to fetch water from the well and at that time P.W.1 was sitting in front of the cattle shed of D.1. While they were returning home with water, A.1 to A.4 and several others armed with bombs, mulberry knives and hunting sickles came after them and A.1 and A.2 thrown bombs at D.1 and because of explosion of bombs, D.1 sustained splinter injuries to his head. Being afraid of it, himself, P.W.1 and D.1 fled away towards their houses. At the request of P.Ws.2, 3, 5 and 6, while they were running towards a thrashing ground, A.2, A.13, A.14 and A.17 to A.22 came in opposite direction stating ‘CHAMPANDIRA NAA KODUKULANU’. Then A.20 and A.22 had thrown bombs at them and A.7 beat him on head with a stick and caused a bleeding injury. Thereafter, he fled away from the village. After returning to the village, he learnt that both D.1 and D.2 were killed. P.Ws.1 to 3, himself and P.W.6 sustained injuries. 10. P.W.5 deposed that the deceased were her brothers-in-law and on the date of incident, while she was on her way to her house from fields and reached near the cattle shed of D.1, she saw D.1, P.W.1 and P.W.4 running towards their houses as accused 1 to 5, 7, 8 and others armed with hunting sickles, bombs, mulberry knives and pattudu sticks were chasing to kill them. D.1 and P.W.1 went inside the house of D.1 and closed the doors. At the instigation of A.2, A.6 hurled bombs on the verandah of the house of D.1. Then A.8 went on the terrace of the house of D.1 with bombs and thrown the bombs into the house. A.12 and A.19 brought hay, thrown it on the doors of house of D.1 and set fire to it after pouring kerosene. When herself and P.Ws. 2, 3 and 6 tried to prevent the accused from entering into the house of D.1, they were beaten. Due to suffocation in the house, D.1 and P.W.1 came out of the house and then A.1 to A.5 dragged D.1 and killed him there by hacking him with hunting sickles and mulberry knives. At that time, D.2 returned home from fields and saw the dead body of D.1 and being felt aggrieved, hacked A.2 with an axe on his back and then A.31, 32, 24, 19 and others chased D.2 to kill him. Later he came to know that they killed D.2. 11. P.W.6 deposed that the deceased were her junior paternal uncles. The incident happened about 5 years ago at about 7.00 a.m. or 8.00 a.m. On hearing the sound of bomb explosion from a well side, she came out of the house and observed D.1 and P.Ws 1 and 4 running towards their houses from the well side and A.1 to 4 and others armed with bombs, hunting sickles and pattudu sticks chased them raising cries ‘VEYYANDIRA EENAKODUKULANU CHAMPANDIRA’ with an intention to kill D.1. A.9, A.10, A.13 to A.16, A.18 and A.20 and A.21 armed with bombs, hunting sickles and mulberry knives came from the side of Kallams raising shouts. A.20 and A.22 hurled bombs on D.1, but he did not sustain any injury. Being afraid of the same, D.1 and P.W.1 went into the house of D.1 and closed the doors. A.7 and A.19 beat her with sticks and also kicked her. A.6 hurled bombs at the house of D.1. Some of the accused also thrown bombs at the house through Gavakshi and brought hay and put the same at the doors and windows and poured kerosene and set fire to it. When they pleaded, the accused beat them and thrown them aside. Unable to bear the suffocation due to smoke, D.1 and P.W.1 came out of the house and then A.1 to A.4 and others dragged D.1 and hacked him with mulberry knives and hunting sickles. When P.W.2 tried to intervene, A.7 beat on her hands with a stick. At that time, D.2 returned to home from fields and after seeing the incident, he hacked on the shoulder of A.2 with an axe. Then A.24, 31, 32 and others armed with bombs, knives and hunting sickles chased him. P.W.1 also was running along with D.2 towards Kallams. Later they heard the cries of the accused that they killed both the brothers. 12. P.W.7 deposed that P.W.1 is her husband and on the date of the incident she heard the sound of bombs explosion and she came out of her house. P.Ws.2, 3 and 6 also came out of their houses. They saw D.1, P.W.1 and P.W.4 running towards their houses and A.1, A.2 and 30 others were running after them armed with bombs, mulberry knives and sickles with an intention to kill D.1. A.22 and A.20 hurled bombs. Later P.W.1 and D.1 went inside the house of D.1 and closed the doors. Then A.6 thrown bombs at the house of D.1. A.9 went on the terrace of the house of D.1 and hurled bombs in to the house. As D.1 did not come out, A.19 and others placed hay at doors and windows of the house of D.1, poured kerosene and set fire to it. Due to suffocation as there was much smoke, P.W.1 and D.1 came out of the house and then A.1 to A.4 dragged D.1 and killed him by hacking him with mulberry knives and hunting sickles. Thereafter, unable to control him, D.2 hacked A.2 with an axe on his back. Then the accused chased D.2 and P.W.1 to hack them also. He also went along with them. A.26, A.31 and A.32 hacked D.2 with mulberry knives and hunting sickles. A.24 hurled a bomb at P.W.1 while he was fleeing away and caused injuries below his left knee. 13. P.W.8, the Station Fire Officer, Fire Station, Atmakur, went to the place of occurrence and put off the flames. P.W.9 is a practicing Advocate and he signed in Ex.P.2 panchanama prepared in connection with seizure of remnants of bombs from the place of occurrence. In his presence, the police seized blood stained earth and control earth from the place of occurrence under cover of Ex.P.3 panchanama and Exs.P.4 to P.6 are also prepared with regard to recovery of remnants of bombs P.W.10, the Village Administrative Officer of Nallakalva and Siddapalli Villages, is the attestor of panchanamas. P.Ws.11 and 12 have not supported the case of the prosecution and hence they were declared ‘hostile’. 14. P.W.13, Medical Officer, community Health Centre, Atmakur, conducted post-mortem examination on the dead body of D.1 on 17.1.2000 at 10-15 a.m. and found as many as 22 injuries including burn injuries and on the same day at 11.35 a.m., he also conducted post-mortem examination on the dead body of D.2 and found 11 injuries and opined that D.1 and D.2 would appear to have died of shock and hemorrhage due to multiple injuries and they may be caused by sharp objects like hunting sickles and mulberry knives about 24 to 36 hours prior to his examination. He also examined P.Ws.1 to 4 and 6 who are the injured witnesses and issued Exs.P.24 to 28 wound certificates respectively and to that effect he deposed before the Court. 15. P.W.14, the Casualty Medical Officer, Government General Hospital, Kurnool, examined A.2 and found two injuries on his person and issued Ex.P.29 wound certificate. P.W.15, the S.I. of Police, Atmakur P.S., deposed with regard to registration of Crime No.1 of 2000 for the offences punishable under Sections 147, 148, 224, 452, 436, 307, 302 r/w 149 IPC and Sections 3 and 5 of the Explosives Substances Act basing on Ex.P.1 report and also the further investigation conducted by him and examination of the accused. P.W.16, the C.I. of Police, Atmakur, took up further investigation, recorded the statements of witnesses and collected FSL report. P.W.17, the Inspector of Police, Atmakur Circle, having received consent order for prosecuting the accused under Sections 3 and 5 of the Explosives Substances Act, laid charge sheet. 16. After hearing the arguments on both sides and after evaluating both oral and documentary evidence, the learned Sessions Judge convicted and sentenced the accused as under: i. A.1 and A.3 to A.5 are sentenced to suffer imprisonment for life and to pay a fine of Rs.1,000/- each, in default, to suffer simple imprisonment for six months each for the offence punishable under Section 302 IPC for causing the death of D.1; ii. A.7 to A.12, A.14 to A.21 and A.24 to A.33 are sentenced to suffer imprisonment for life and to pay a fine of Rs.1,000/- each, in default, to suffer simple imprisonment for six months each for the offence punishable under Section 302 r/w 149 IPC; iii. A.26, A.31 and A.32 are sentenced to suffer imprisonment for life and to pay a fine of Rs.1,000/- each, in default, to suffer simple imprisonment for six months each for the offence punishable under Section 302 IPC for causing the death of D.2; iv. A.1, A.3 to A.5, A.7 to A.12, A.14 to A.21, and A.24 to A.33 are sentenced to suffer imprisonment for life and to pay a fine of Rs.1,000/- each, in default, to suffer simple imprisonment for six months for the offence punishable under Section 302 r/w 149 IPC; v. A.1, A.3 to A.5, A.7 to A.12, and A.14 to A.21 are sentenced to suffer rigorous imprisonment for six months and to pay a fine of Rs.1,000/- each, in default, to suffer simple imprisonment for two months for the offence punishable under Section 148 IPC for rioting armed with deadly weapons; vi. A.7 is sentenced to suffer rigorous imprisonment for six months and to pay a fine of Rs.1,000/- each, in default to suffer simple imprisonment for two months for the offence punishable under Section 324 IPC for causing hurt to P.W.4; vii. A.1, A.3 to A.5, A.8 to A.12, A.14 to A.21 and A.24 to A.33 are sentenced to suffer rigorous imprisonment for six months each and to pay a fine of Rs.1,000/- each, in default to suffer simple imprisonment for two months for the offence punishable under Section 324 r/w 149 IPC; viii. A.9 and A.31 are sentenced to suffer rigorous imprisonment for six months and to pay a fine of Rs.1,000/- each, in default, to suffer simple imprisonment for two months for the offence punishable under Section 324 IPC for causing hurt to P.W.3; ix. A.1, A.3 to A.5, A.7, A.8, A.10 to A.12, A.14 to A.21. A/24 to A.30, A.32 and A.33 are sentenced to suffer rigorous imprisonment for six months each and to pay a fine of Rs.1,000/- each in default to suffer simple imprisonment for two months for the offence punishable under Section 324 r/w 149 IPC; x. A.7 is sentenced to suffer rigorous imprisonment for six months and to pay a fine of Rs.1,000/-, in default, to suffer simple imprisonment for two months for the offence punishable under Section 324 IPC for causing hurt to P.W.2; xi. A.1, A.3 to A.5, A.8