<p>A fast track court in Adilabad has on Thursday pronounced death sentence for three men accused of the brutal gang rape and murder of a Dalit woman; delivering the verdict in just over two months from the date of the gruesome crime.</p>.<p>The offence took place near Yellapatar village in Kumuram Bheem Asifabad district in northern Telangana. The deceased woman – given the name Samata by the police to conceal identity – used to earn her livelihood by selling balloons and other items in the tribal hamlets, along with her husband.</p>.<p>On November 24, the three accused men accosted her when she was walking alone from one village to another, on a deserted stretch. Her body was found the next day, in the wild, with her throat slit and grazes on other parts of the body.</p>.<p>The three culprits – - Shaik Babu, Shaik Shabuddin and Shaik Maqdoom of Yellapatar village – between 30- and 40-years age – are daily wage labourers.<br />The grisly crime caught the media and public attention days later, after the gang rape and murder of a young Hyderabadi veterinarian on November 27 near a toll plaza on the outskirts of the Telangana capital.</p>.<p>Protest rallies took place in the Adilabad-Asifabad region of north Telangana where Samata incident took place, demanding swift justice. The Asifabad district police chief Malla Reddy announced the setting up of a fast track court on December 11. A charge sheet was filed on December 13.</p>.<p>“Samata was dragged into the bushes, gang-raped, and her throat slit. The three accused were arrested on 27 November. Forty-four witnesses were questioned; scientific proofs like DNA were established. The accused could not establish their innocence even after providing two opportunities,” a police official said, after the verdict.</p>.<p>Setting aside the compassion pleas of the accused, the special court has sentenced the three to death according to Section 302 of IPC, life imprisonment as per Section 376-D IPC, three years jail under SC/ST atrocities act and also levied a fine of Rs 26,000 for theft of the victim’s mobile phone etc<br />The accused can go for an appeal in a higher court within 30 days.</p>
<p>A fast track court in Adilabad has on Thursday pronounced death sentence for three men accused of the brutal gang rape and murder of a Dalit woman; delivering the verdict in just over two months from the date of the gruesome crime.</p>.<p>The offence took place near Yellapatar village in Kumuram Bheem Asifabad district in northern Telangana. The deceased woman – given the name Samata by the police to conceal identity – used to earn her livelihood by selling balloons and other items in the tribal hamlets, along with her husband.</p>.<p>On November 24, the three accused men accosted her when she was walking alone from one village to another, on a deserted stretch. Her body was found the next day, in the wild, with her throat slit and grazes on other parts of the body.</p>.<p>The three culprits – - Shaik Babu, Shaik Shabuddin and Shaik Maqdoom of Yellapatar village – between 30- and 40-years age – are daily wage labourers.<br />The grisly crime caught the media and public attention days later, after the gang rape and murder of a young Hyderabadi veterinarian on November 27 near a toll plaza on the outskirts of the Telangana capital.</p>.<p>Protest rallies took place in the Adilabad-Asifabad region of north Telangana where Samata incident took place, demanding swift justice. The Asifabad district police chief Malla Reddy announced the setting up of a fast track court on December 11. A charge sheet was filed on December 13.</p>.<p>“Samata was dragged into the bushes, gang-raped, and her throat slit. The three accused were arrested on 27 November. Forty-four witnesses were questioned; scientific proofs like DNA were established. The accused could not establish their innocence even after providing two opportunities,” a police official said, after the verdict.</p>.<p>Setting aside the compassion pleas of the accused, the special court has sentenced the three to death according to Section 302 of IPC, life imprisonment as per Section 376-D IPC, three years jail under SC/ST atrocities act and also levied a fine of Rs 26,000 for theft of the victim’s mobile phone etc<br />The accused can go for an appeal in a higher court within 30 days.</p>