Police file chargesheet in Dalit woman gangrape and murder in Asifabad, trial soon

The Asifbad police on Saturday filed a chargesheet in the gangrape and murder of a Dalit woman hawker. The move came less than two days after the government set up a special court in Adilabad for the trial of the accused.

On November 24, days before Hyderabad based veterinarian Disha* was gangraped and murdered, a 30-year-old Samatha* hailing from Nirmal's Khanapur area was also gangraped and murdered allegedly by three men in Lingapur mandal of Asifabad district.

According to investigating officials, over 40 persons, including a few policemen, were named as witnesses in the case.

On November 25, the police found the body of the woman between Ramnayaktanda and Ellapatar villages in Lingapur mandal of Komaram Bheem (Asifabad).

Police arrested Shaik Babu (35), Shaik Shaboddin (30) and Shaik Mukdum (40) on the same day. They have been remanded to judicial custody. 

 

Last week, the police took the accused into custody in order to collect DNA samples that were sent to the forensic laboratory in Hyderabad.

A police official said that the DNA and forensic science reports from Hyderabad arrived on Friday.

The 30-year-old woman and her husband were earning a livelihood by selling balloons and other supplies in the neighbouring villages of Lingapur and Jainoor mandals.

According to police, the three accused found her when she was on her way to another village and gangraped her before she was killed. The chargesheet has been filed within 20 days of the incident

Speaking to TNM, DySP and Investigation Officer A Satyanarayana, said, "We have got the required forensic and DNA samples reports from Forensic Science Laboratory, Hyderabad. All the evidences and documents were submitted to the special court in Adilabad. The magistrate will very soon take a decision on the commencement of the trial."

He further added, "Along with forensic reports, the DNA samples have also matched with the accused."

 

The accused have been booked for rape and murder, along with sections of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. Earlier, the family of the victim and Dalit organisations had accused politicians and the media of caste bias, alleging that they did not pay sufficient attention to the case.
 

*Names changed