M. KARPAGAVINAYAGAM, J.

The misfortune to be noticed in this case is that the name of the deceased, an old lady, aged about 70 years, who met with an unfortunate death in a gruesome murder for gain is Fortune Amalore.

2. The accused Natarajan, the appellant herein was convicted for the offences under Sections 449, 302, 404 and 201 I.P.C. on the charge that on 30.9.1996 at about 8.30 P.M., he trespassed into the house of Fortune Amalore alias Soundariammal, residing alone at Pondicherry and committed her murder by hitting with rice pounder and compressing her throat with his legs and threw the dead body into the well at the backyard and fled away with her jewels. Challenging the same, he has filed this appeal.

3. The facts leading to conviction in brief are as follows:

"(a) The deceased Fortune Amalore alias Soundariammal was aged about 70 years. She has got three sons, who are residing in France. She was living alone in her house at No.32, Ignacy Maistry Street, Pondicherry. The upstairs of her house was rented out to one Lawrence, the husband of P.W.2 Lucia.

(b) On 1.10.1996, P.W.5 Srinivasan, the milk vendor came to her house in the early morning and kept milk in her kitch