SUPADI Vs. EMPEROR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This appeal has been admitted though time-barred and I would deal with it in our revisional jurisdiction.

(2.) The accused has been convicted of art attempt to commit suicide and of the murder of her infant daughter.

(3.) The accused Supadi is a girl of seventeen years of age unhappily married to a man called Lukadu. Her mind was distracted by the illness of her infant daughter and she was anxious to go back to her father's house where she would get rest after the drudgery of her unhappy home, and time to attend to her ailing infant. Her father and sister came to see her home but the husband refused because he wanted her to stay at home and do the household work. Supadi was much disappointed and the next morning her father tried to take her back when the husband was absent. But the husband intercepted the cart and forced Supadi to return. This fresh disappointment was too much for Supadi who was already sorely tried by her husband's ill-treatment and the illness of her infant. She did go back, but instead of going to her husband's house she jumped into a well in order to drown herself. At the time she jumped in, her infant was tied on her back. She was found in the well the next day. but the infant was drowned. When she was taken out she burst into tears and clasped the dead body of her child.