Muneshwari Sahay, J.

1. All the twelve appellants have been convicted under Sec.302 read with Sec.149 of the Indian Penal Code and have been sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for life. They have further been convicted under Sec.325 read with Sec.149 of the Indian Penal Code, but no separate sentence has been passed against them under the section. Three of the appellants, namely, appellants Sanat Mahton, Budhan Kumhar and Babulal Kumhar have been further convicted under Sec.148 of the Indian Penal Code whereas the remaining appellants have been convicted under Sec.147 of the Indian Penal Code. No separate sentence, however, has been passed against the appellants under these sections.

2. The appellants are all residents of village Jogia Tola within Jainagar Pohce station of Hazaribagh district. Most of the appellants are related to one another. Appellants 3 and 6 are brothers and appellants 4 and 5 are their sons respectively. Appellant No. 1 is the nephew of appellant No. 6 and appellants Nos. 11 and 12 are his cousins. Appellant No. 2 is the son of appellant No. 12 and appellant No. 8 is the son of appellant No. 11. Appellants 7, 9 and 10 do not seem to be related