defendant. They specifically denied the adoption of first defendant. They also denied that Nagarethinathachi is the legally wedded wife of Singaram Pathar. According to them, Singaram Pathar executed a registered Will in favour of the first defendant and on that basis, the first defendant got some properties, which he sold to third parties, and Nagarethinathachi executed a registered settlement in favour of first defendant in respect of her own properties. Contra averments made in the plaint are all denied as false. The first defendant remains the son of Dharmalingam Pathar and Vairathammal, and he is entitled to share in the properties left behind by them. After the demise of their father - Dharmalinga Pathar, the properties were managed by the plaintiff till 1993 and during the course of management, he contracted debts to the tune of Rs.83,400/- and not being able to clear the same, he left the Suit village and settled in Mayiladuthurai. The third defendant is suffering from some mental challenges intermittently. Subsequently, in a Panchayat held on January 24, 1994, it was decided that the fourth defendant shall be entrusted with the suit properties and that out of the income therefrom, he shall pay off the family debts. However, there was no profit from the suit properties; there were only losses. Nonetheless, the defendants 1 and 4 managed to clear the entire family debts by themselves. In fact, for that purpose, the first
