1. The appellant has been convicted of the offence of murder of his wife, Devaki and sentenced to imprisonment for life. The case against him is that she was suffering from some mental derangement for the past 3 or 4 years prior to the incident, on account of that she used to disobey the appellant resulting in frequent quarrels between them, on 9 9 77 she refused to go and draw water from a well in the near-by compound of pw. 1, the appellant made her go and fetch water therefrom by threatening her with a stick and subsequently at about 4 P.M. that day cut her throat with M.O.3 kitchen-knife causing her instantaneous death The scene of occurrence is alleged to be the eastern court-yard of their house in Ezhalloor Kara within the jurisdiction of the Thodupuzha Police Station. pw. 1, the brother of the appellant gave Ext. P1 first information statement at 8 P.M. the same day before the Thodupuzha Police Station situate 12 K.Ms, north-east of the scene of occurrence. Ext. P2 is the inquest report. The appellant was arrested on 119 1977. When questioned under S.313, Criminal Procedure Code he denied that he had anything to do with the death of Devaki.

2. The evidence of pw.