JUDGMENT

Raveendran, J. — This appeal by special leave is against the judgment dated 28.8.2003 of the Andhra Pradesh High Court in Criminal Appeal No.1211 of 2001 reversing the judgment of acquittal dated 7.2.2000 passed by the First Addl. Sessions Judge, Chittoor in S.C. No.361 of 1999.

2. The prosecution case, in brief, is as under :

2.1) P. Narasimha Reddy (PW-2) and P. Govinda Reddy (Accused No.1) are brothers. P. Dilli Babu Reddy (PW-1) and Purushotham Reddy (deceased) are the sons of Narasimha Reddy. Ranamma (Accused No.2) is the wife of Govinda Reddy. Nagaraja Reddy (Accused No.3), Balakrishna Reddy @ Balu and Chandrababu Reddy @ Babu are the sons of Govinda Reddy and Ranamma. (Balu and Babu were juveniles at the relevant time). Both families were residents of Bangareddipalli Diguva Indlu, a hamlet falling under the Gangadhara Nellore Panchayat in Chittoor District. The house of Narasimha Reddy and house of Govinda Reddy were separated by the land of Chinnakka.

2.2) Narasimha Reddy, after his marriage, having differences with his parents had shifted to his father-in-laws place and then to Madras. Ultimately, he came back to his native village. In the meanwhile, Govinda Redd