JUDGMENT :

G.K. ILANTHIRAIYAN, J.

This appeal has been preferred as against the Judgment passed in S.C.No.124 of 2018 dated 09.01.2023, on the file of the learned II Additional District and Sessions Court, Trichirappalli, thereby convicting the appellant for the offence punishable under Section 302 of I.P.C.

2. The case of the prosecution is that the sisters of the deceased were working in Trichy. The deceased was a painter and after finishing his work, he used to reach Nochiyam at about 09.00 p.m. He would then call to his sisters over phone and they would all go to their village together. While being so, on 04.02.2017 at about 09.30 p.m., the deceased phoned one of his sisters and stated that he would come late, asking her to go home. Prior to the incident, he had seen his cousin sister together with A.1 in the town bus. Therefore, the cousin sister of the deceased was acquaintance with A.1. The deceased questioned their relationship, which led to a quarrel between them. This was informed by A.1, A.2 and A.3.

3. While being so, on 04.02.2017 at about 09.00 p.m., all three accused had purchased liquor and were sitting on the bridge leading to the Kollidam river bund near Pillaiyar T