The right of private defence of property extends to the causing of death where there is a real apprehension that the aggressor might cause death or grievous hurt to the victim. The right of private defence of property is not restricted to cases where the property is situated in close proximity to the place where the parties met. It is sufficient if the person claiming the right of private defence had a reasonable apprehension of danger to the property.

( 1 ) FOUR accused persons, namely, Hari Pal Singh, Raghubar Singh, Daya Ram and Natthu Lal were tried in Sessions Trial No. 153 of 1986 by Special Judge/additional Sessions Judge, Pilibhit for the offences punishable under Section 302, I. P. C. read with Sections 34, I. P. C. and 307, I. P. C. read with Section 34, I. P. C. He acquitted all of them by judgment and order dated 24-5-1989. Aggrieved thereby the State preferred this appeal which was earlier dismissed by this Court on 22-5-1992. The State then filed Special Leave Petition before the Supreme Court. Special Leave Petition was dismissed by the Supreme Court against the accused-opposite parties Daya Ram and Natthu Lal by order dated 11-10-1993. However, as against the remaining two accused-opposite parties Hari Pal Singh and Raghubar Singh the order of this Court dated 22-5-1992 dismissing the appeal filed by the State against acquittal was set aside by the Apex Court in Criminal Appeal 62 of 1996 by order dated 15-1-1996 and the matter was sent back to this Court with the direction to restore the appeal, rehear and dispose of the same. It is in the above background that the appeal of the State against the accused-opposite parties Hari Pal Singh and Raghubar Singh assailing their acquittal has been resorted and heard. The same is being decided by this judgment.

( 2 ) THE relevant facts may be stated briefly. The accused-opposite parties Hari Pal Singh and Raghubar Singh are brothers being sons of Dwarka Singh, resident of village Bhagwantpur, P. S. Bisalpur, District Pilibhit. The genesis of the prosecution case was the written first information report Ex. Ka-1 lodged at Police Station, Bisalpur by PW1 Chhote Lal on 6-12-1985 at 1. 05 p. m. The incident took place on that day at about 12. 30 p. m. in Mohalla Durga Prasad in Quasba and P. S. Bisalpur, District Pilibhit. Rampa Devi-mother of PW1 Chhote Lal informant had died and her bier with funeral procession was being carried at about 12. 30 p. m. on the fateful day to the cremation ground the way of which allegedly passed through Harit Kranti Vidya Mandir. The first information report stated that about a week ago, Baldeo Prasad had died and his dead body was also carried to the cremation ground through the same way. The accused-opposite party Hari Pal Singh was the Manager and the accused-opposite party Raghubar Singh was a teacher of that school. The remaining two accused Daya Ram and Natthu Lal were also teachers of the school. As soon as the informant with the funeral procession entered the gate of the school with the bier containing the dead body, the accused-opposite parties prevented them from passing through that way. When the informant and the persons accompanying him pleaded for carrying the bier through that way as that had earlier been settled to be the way for carrying the dead bodies to the cremation ground, citing example of the dead body of Baldeo Prasad also, the accused did not budge and yield. Instead, they became aggressive. The accused Daya Ram and Natthu Lal kept on guard to prevent the funeral procession from carrying the bier through that way and the accused-opposite parties Hari Pal Singh and Raghubar Singh went inside their house and reappeared with guns. Daya Ram and Natthu Lal exhorted them whereupon they opened fire from their guns. A number of persons included in the funeral procession sustained injuries.

( 3 ) THE injured were Babu Lal, Brij Lal, Krishan son of Gaya Ram, Krishna Pal - son of Malloo, Jagdish, Shyam Babu, Roshan Lal, Om Prakash, Sunil, Saran Lal, Bihari Lal, Asharfi, Johnson, Kundan Lal, Daya Ram son of Sita Ram, Naresh and Puran Lal.

( 4 ) THE first information report further mentioned that the injured and other persons included in the funeral procession had kept surrounded the accused persons when the informant had gone to lodge the first information report. On lodging of such F. I. R. a case was registered and investigation followed. The injured Babu Lal