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1. The accused in S. C. 32 of 1958 of the Telli-cherry Sessions Court is the appellant. He has been convicted under Section 302, I. P. C., and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for life for causing the death of his mother by inflicting multiple injuries.

2. The accused Kannan aged 45 and his mother Perukkachi aged 70 were living in a house by the side of the road opposite to the Canannore Central Jail. The unmarried accused and his mother were the only occupants of the house. At about 4 P. M, on 29-7-1958 the accused who had been away since morning returned home. At 7 P. M. his mother went out to the nearby teashop and purchased a glass of tea wbich she took home. It appears that the accused used frequently to quarrel with his mother over the quality of food she used to serve him. At about 7-30 p.m., P.W. 2 a cousin of the accused living in a house closeby heard a commotion in the accused's house.

3. The accused in his statement before the committing Magistrate pleaded ignorance of the whole matter and said that he was not present in his house at that time. Before the trial court he stated that when he returned home that evening he found his cousin one Kannan in his house and that he does not know when Kannan left. He further stated that he used to get epileptic fits and he does not remember anything that happened.

4. That Pirukkachi was injured and found dead at about 8 p, m. on 29-7-1958 on the verandah of her house is not disputed. Pws. 1, 3 and 4 saw her lying dead with injuries. Ext. P-8 is the inquest report. Ext. p-4 is the post-mortem certificate. Pw. 8 the Civil Assistant Surgeon who conducted the autopsy says that he noted the following injuries :--

5. There is also ample evidence to prove beyond doubt that it was the accused who inflicted the injuries. It is in evidence and it is admitted by the accused that he and his mother were the only occupants of the house. The accused's statement that a cousin of bis named Kannan was found in the house when he returned home in the evening, does not find any support from the evidence before us. There is nothing in the evidence to show that the accused has a cousin Kannan by name, or that such a person ever visited the house.