K.N. BASHA, J.

1. In Criminal Appeal No. 472 of 2002, A3 to A6 are the appellants. In Criminal Appeal No. 473 of 2002, A2 and A7 are the appellants. In Criminal Appeal No. 480 of 2002, A1 is the appellant. In all these appeals, the appellants challenged their conviction and sentence imposed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Nagercoil, by the judgment dated 8.3.2002 made in S.C. No. 3 of 1996, convicting A1 under Section 148 IPC and sentencing him to undergo three years RI, convicting A2 to A7 under Section 147 IPC and sentencing each of them to undergo two years RI, convicting A1 under Section 302 IPC and sentencing him to life imprisonment with a fine of Rs. 1,000/-, in default to undergo two years RI, convicting A2 to A7 under Section 302 read with 149 IPC and sentencing each of them to life imprisonment with a fine of Rs. 1,000/-in default to undergo two years RI, convicting A2, A4 and A5 under Section 324 IPC and sentencing each of them to undergo two years RI and also convicting A3 to A7 under Section 336 IPC and sentencing each of them to undergo three months RI. The sentences are ordered to run concurrently.

2. The learned Additional Public Prosecutor wou