1. The judgment and order of conviction dated 30.09.2011 passed by the Fast Track Court, Bhadravathi, in SC No. 108/2009 is called in question in these two appeals. The accused appellants were tried and convicted for the offences punishable under S.143, S.148, S.302 read with S.149 of IPC by the Court below. Criminal Appeal No. 1224/2011 is filed by accused Nos. 3 to 6; where as Criminal appeal No. 1183/2011 is filed by accused Nos. 1 and 2.

2. Case of the prosecution in brief is that accused are belonging to one particular caste and whereas the deceased is from another caste; since more than 10 years, the youngsters from the caste of the accused used to tease the ladies / girls belonging to the caste of the deceased. In that regard, the deceased and others were not only requesting the caste members of the accused but were taking action against them by lodging the complaint; they had even quarrelled with each other; despite such repeated attempts by the deceased and his fellow men, the community people of the accused did not stop. It is further case of the prosecution that the accused being the youngsters of the particular caste and influenced by the talks heard by them from their