Judgment

GUPTA, J.:- These are two appeals by special leave, one is by eight accused persons against the order of conviction and sentences passed, in respect of seven of them on charges under Ss. 323 and 447 of the Indian Penal Code and Sec. 162 (2) of the Gujarat Panchayats Act, and as regards one of them under S. 304 Part II of the Indian Penal Code; the other appeal is by the State of Gujarat against the acquittal of the seven accused in respect of the charge under Sec. 302/149 of the Indian Penal Code and the acquittal of the eighth accused of the charge under S. 302. The judgment of the High Court appealed from also disposed of two appeals from the Judgment of the Sessions Judge, Ahmedabad (Rural) at Narol, one by the accused against their conviction and the other by the State against their acquittal in respect of some of the charges. It appears that in village Lambha in Ahmedabad District a dispute had been going on between the agriculturists and the shepherds; the allegation against the shepherds was that they were damaging the standing crop in the fields by grazing their cattle therein. Because of this dispute between the two parties the village panchayat appointed three wat