( 1 ) THE appellants are accused 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6. They along with 16 others were arraigned before the Sessions Judge, Nellore, on charges of rioting, murder and hurt in respect of an incident that took place, on the 27th of july, 1954, at about 5 P. M. , in the Harijan quarters of Burlavaripalem. In the course of this rioting one Narasayya was fatally wounded and P. W. 1 had received seme minor injuries while A-2 and A-10 also sustained some injuries. For over a year before the occurrence, there were factions between the Harijans of Burlavaripalem of gudur taluk, Nellore District and those of the neighbouring village, Balireddipalem, the leaders of the first party being the 1st and 12th accused and one Subba- ramireddy the borther-in-law of P. W. 8 the Village Mansif of Burlavaripalem being the leader of the other. A few Harijan families of Burlavaripalem who had affiliations in the other village refused to join the faction headed by A-1 amongst whom was the deceased, P. Ws. 5 and 7. It is alleged that the 1st accused and the I2th accused resented this and tried every means to bring them into their fold by victimising those who were not amenable, to their influen