JUDGMENT

P.B.Suresh Kumar, J.

These appeals arise from S.C.Nos.609 of 2015 and 1234 of 2015 on the files of the Court of the Special Additional Sessions Judge (Marad Cases), Kozhikode. The cases were tried together as they were registered in respect of the same occurrence. There were altogether 17 accused, and the trial court acquitted all of them. Crl.Appeal.No.988 of 2016 is preferred by the State challenging the acquittal of the accused. The remaining appeals are preferred by the victims, of which Crl.Appeal (v) No. 62 of 2017 is by the father of Shibin who succumbed to the injuries sustained in the occurrence and Crl.Appeal (v) No.107 of 2017 is preferred by some among the persons who sustained injuries in the occurrence.

2. The occurrence took place on 22.01.2015. Apart from the accused, one Muhammed Aseeb, a juvenile in conflict with law, hereinafter referred to as “the Juvenile”, was also involved in the crime. There was a religious ceremony in the house of the Juvenile on 22.01.2015. Food was taken from the house of the Juvenile after the ceremony to the house of the first accused by the sixth accused in a motor cycle bearing registration No.KL-18/D 6024 with the fifth accused