ORDER : All these applications arise out of orders passed by the learned Sessions Judge, Madurai in Crl. Nos. 10 and 11 of 1966 of the Gudalur police station. The petitioners in all these petitions were arrested, detained and confined in jail custody from 18-2-1965 till today on the ground that they were suspected to have abeted, participated and committed grave offences, such as, noting armed with deadly weapons, attempt to murder, causing hurt to deter public servant from doing his duty and causing the murder of two policemen, in connection with the mass upsurge in Gudalur, a big village in the extreme southwest of Madurai Dt. in South India, on account of Hindi being imposed on the citizens of South India us official language.

2. All the petitioners in the above applications were in a crowd of about 500 at the time of the alleged incident that took place on 12-2-1965. The petitioners, along with other persons, on the date of the incident, proceeded towards the post office, shouting slogans "Down with Hindi, we will sacrifice our life for the sake of Tamil, attack the post office, and down with the police". The crowd was led. according to the evidence of the police, by on