( 1 ) THE sole accused Yedukondalu in Sessions case No. 61 of 1986 is the appellant before us. He was charged and tried under S. 302, I. P. C. for having caused the death of Voleti Samrajyam by pouring Kerosene and setting fire to her clothes. He was found guilty of the charge and sentenced to suffer imprisonment for life.

( 2 ) THE case of the Prosecution is that the deceased Voleti Samrajyam is a native of Bapatla. She married her maternal uncle Voleti Venkateswara Rao. They had three female children. Venkateswara Rao died some time in the year 1984. After the death of Venkateswara Rao, the deceased was making her living by selling some groundnuts near Revathi Talkies at Masulipatnam. There she developed illicit intimacy with the accused Yedukondalu and they were living like husband and wife. The deceased and the accused used to quarrel often. On 31-1-1986 also the deceased and the accused had quarrel and in the evening at about 5 p. m. it is said that the appellant poured kerosene on the deceased and set fire to her clothes at her house. The deceased ran out of the house. Then she was taken to the Hospital by P. W. 2 Gadda Koteswaramma and one Jyothi. P. W. 4, the