COMMON JUDGMENT

P.N. PRAKASH, J.

For the sake of anonymity, the deceased in this case, who is a minor girl, is referred to as “X”.

2 Shorn off unnecessary frills, the germane facts leading to the institution of the referred trial and criminal appeal run thus:

2.1 “X” was 13 years old when her life ebbed out. She was the daughter of Malar (P.W.1) and Munusamy. Apart from “X”, Malar (P.W.1) has a daughter, Divya (P.W.2) and a son Arul Kumar (P.W.3) and both were elder to “X”. Divya (P.W.2) got married to one Velmurugan, through whom, she has a child named Koteeswari, who was around three years old at the time of the incident. All of them were living together under one roof, viz., Door No.2/316, Lenin Nagar 1st Street, Alathur Village, Kancheepuram.

2.2 “X” was studying in IX standard in the Government Higher Secondary School, Payyanur and according to the school records (Ex.P.22), her date of birth is 11.11.2003 [See the evidence of Kamakshi (P.W.23), Headmistress of the school].

2.3 The appellant herein also hails from the same village, but, is a resident of Gangai Amman Koil Street nearby and was well-known to the family of “X”.

2.4 The incident in this case took place on 23.07.2017 (Sund