KANCHAMREDDI CHINNA RANGA REDDY Vs. STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) On the evening of the 26th April, 1959, at about 7 P.M., whilst one Narayana Reddy (P.W. 1) was seated on the ' pial' outside his house in Jutur village, a bomb was hurled at him and as a result of the explosion, although he escaped death, he was seriously wounded in the leg and disabled for life. In connection with this incident, the two appellants (who will be referred to as A-1 and A-2 respectively) were tried, convicted and sentenced by the Sessions Judge of Anantapur as under. A-1 was convicted under section 307, Indian Penal Code, and under section 3 of the Explosive Substances Act and sentenced to suffer rigorous imprisonment for four years under each count. A-2 was convicted under section 307 read with section 109, Indian Penal Code, and under section 3 read with section 6 of the Explosive Subtances Act and was sentenced to suffer rigorous imprisonment for four years under each count. The sentences of both the appellants were ordered to run concurrently.

(2.) For a number of years prior to this occurrence, the village of Jutur was rent by factions and the strained feelings manifested themselves in acts of violence and in civil and criminal cases. The leaders of the rival factions were one J. P. Ranga Reddy on the one side and one Rajagopala Reddy (P.W. 13) on the other . P.W. 1, the victim of the outrage, P.W. 2 (Pedda Sunki Reddy), P.W. 4 (Madhava Reddy), P.W. 11 (Narayana Reddy) and P.W. 15 (Obi Reddy) belonged to P.W. 13's group and are also related to one another while the two appellants were the adherents of J. P. Ranga Reddy. A-2 is also the step-brother of J. P. Ranga Reddy and A-1 is said to be a close friend and associate of the latter. On 4th April, 1959, a serious rioting with fire-arms took place in the village in which one Kesava Reddy was killed and some others belonging to P.W. 13's faction were injured. In that case, J. P Ranga Reddy, his sons and some others of his party were implicated as the accused and the case was pending investigation at the time of this occurrence.

(3.) Just before this occurrence, the situation in the village was so tense that a special police party had been stationed in the village with a view to avert clashes between the rival groups and maintain public peace. On the day of the occurrence the police party consisted of five Reserve Constables and two Head-Constables. P.W. 1, the victim, gives a graphic account of the incident. According to him, since the murdered man in the rioting which took place on 4th April, 1959 and the persons who were injured belonged to his party, he was taking keen interest in that case on the side of the prosecution. He claims to be an important person in his iaction and that was the reason why an attempt was made to kill him.