JUDGMENT :

This appeal has been filed by the appellants who are accused Nos.1 and 2 in S.C. No.436/2003 on the file of the Additional District and Sessions Judge, Fast Track Court-I, Thiruvananthapuram, challenging their conviction and sentence in a prosecution for the offences punishable under Sections 143, 147, 148, 324, 448 & 427 r/w Section 149 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) and Section 3 of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908. Both the appellants/accused 1 & 2 were convicted and sentenced under Sections 143, 147, 148, 324 r/w. Section 149 of the Indian Penal Code while the 1st appellant/1st accused alone was convicted and sentenced under Section 3 of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908. Both the appellants/accused 1 & 2 were acquitted of the offences punishable under Section 448 and 427 IPC. Accused Nos. 3, 4 & 5 were acquitted of all the charges.

2. The gist of the prosecution case is that, on 11.02.1999, the appellants/accused Nos.1 and 2 together with three others formed themselves into an unlawful assembly and attacked PWs 1, 7 and 8, inside the compound of the MG College, Thiruvananthapuram, with deadly weapons like swords and iron bars and explosive substances like cra