In Brief
Forest officials caught four villagers hunting a deer in a dam area on 7 March 2012. When attempting arrest, other villagers intervened, leading to a confrontation where the accused pelted stones and assaulted officials, injuring them. The trial court convicted them under criminal law and wildlife protection statutes, sentencing them to three years imprisonment. The High Court reduced the sentence to two years. The Supreme Court upheld the conviction but released the appellants on time already served, considering their lack of criminal history, the spontaneous nature of their actions, and that four months had elapsed. Compensation was awarded to injured officials.
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