INTRO: Twenty-six cops from Telangana have been awarded the ‘Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak’ instituted by the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) in Feb this year to recognise exceptional work in special operations, investigation, intelligence, and forensic science. Of the 26 from Telangana, 22 were awarded medals for special operations and four to investigating officers (IOs) for investigation in cases that ended with conviction, including one death penalty in a gang rape and murder case
IO Sathyanarayana Adepu – Gang Rape & Murder
(Kumurambheem Asifabad dist)
In Nov 2019, a woman who made a living by selling balloons and plastic items went missing. A missing case was registered at Lingapur police station, a Maoist-affected area.
It was after two days of search by cops and locals in the villages she was last seen and surrounding dense forest that her naked body with injuries was found in cotton fields.
Three persons, who were detained, initially denied any role. But when cops found the woman’s phone with them they cracked under sustained interrogation and confessed to her rape and murder.
The case created an uproar in the area with people demanding instant punishment. At one point protesters even stopped the vehicle transporting them to Hyderabad till evening on the NH, demanding they be handed over to them.
“After an assurance that the accused will be punished in a court of law, they withdrew. The villagers from where the accused belonged also supported us. There were no eyewitnesses. But we gathered every minute detail about the woman, the accused and ensured witnesses deposed before court,” said investigating officer (IO) Sathyanarayana Adepu, who was then DSP (Adilabad) and is currently DSP (Intelligence) in Warangal.
The court delivered the judgment in 68 days from the day the woman went missing and sentenced the three to death in Jan 2020.
The woman’s husband was later given a job in the transport department and their son was admitted to a govt residential school.
IO Dr Sangramsingh G Patil – Infant’s Rape
(Bhadradri Kothagudem dist)
A 16-month-old baby was raped in June 2018. Though her parents turned hostile and witnesses also resiled from their earlier statements, the distant relative accused of the crime was eventually sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for 25 years in Feb last year.
The incident happened in Dummugudem when the girl’s family was attending a family function. The man had taken the child to play with her and later handed her over to the parents. But when the girl continued to cry for a long time, her mother noticed injuries on her private parts. Subsequently, the man was caught and beaten up.
The girl’s mother lodged a police complaint and the accused was arrested.
However, cops suffered a setback when the parents and witnesses turned hostile. The accused too claimed he was falsely implicated.
But the court observed the accused had not set up any defence and concentrated on winning over witnesses.
The medical examination report of the girl also confirmed sexual assault, wherein the doctor who examined the girl “without a second opinion/doubt concluded the baby was subjected to sexual assault”, observed the court. Forensic examination of the man’s clothes worn at the time of the crime also proved his role in the crime.
“The verdict sends out a strong message that justice prevails and also that victims or families should not be stigmatised, but supported in all possible ways in their path to justice,” said Patil, a 2015 batch IPS officer currently on central deputation and posted as the additional DG, Centre for Good Governance, Hyderabad.
IO Sreedhar Reddy Pulimamidi – Honour Killing
(Rachakonda Commissionerate)
A Dalit man was murdered in full public view by his Muslim wife’s brother and brother-in-law as they were against the couple’s marriage. The couple belonged to Vikarabad district and after their marriage were living in Saroornagar. The incident happened in May 2022 and the accused were sentenced to life in Oct last year by a city court.
On the fateful day, the accused had tracked the couple using ‘Find My Device’ and other mobile applications and chased them while they were returning home on a bike.
They first hit the bike and, as the couple fell down, attacked the man with weapons and killed him even as his wife tried to stop them.
The murder was captured on CCTVs near the spot and witnessed by passersby.
IO Sridhar Reddy, then ACP LB Nagar, filed the chargesheet with technical evidence on mobile phones of both the accused and deceased, forensic evidence, statements of witnesses and Test Identification Parade (TIP) of the accused. During the trial, one of the key eyewitnesses travelled over 700 km from Srikakulam to Hyderabad to give evidence.
“The evidence gathered through relentless investigation, forensic analysis, combined with eyewitness accounts and TIP built an unassailable case against the accused. Further, their bail petitions were also opposed, ensuring they remained in prison till completion of trial,” said Sridhar Reddy, who is currently ACP (Special Branch) Rachakonda.
After the murder his wife was provided shelter by the department of women & child welfare, Telangana, where she completed vocational training. She is currently employed with the same department.
IO Sridhar Reddy Mamilla – Murder
(Suryapet dist)
Narsimhulagudem village in Suryapet had a dubious distinction for a long time due to faction killings and accused walking free. But following the conviction of five accused in the 2014 murder of a sarpanch investigated by then Kodad circle inspector Sridhar Reddy, there has been no faction incidents in the village.
“The accused had dragged the case for nine years by filing several petitions. But ensuring eyewitness and other witnesses testified, and production of material objects as well as documentary evidence before the court on time during the trial resulted in the conviction,” said Sridhar Reddy, currently posted as DSP (Kodad).
It was in Jan 2014 that Narismhulagudem village sarpanch Julakanti Pulinder Reddy was chased on Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway and hacked to death by his political rivals.
Three decades prior to Reddy’s murder, eight others were killed by their rivals in faction killings. While in all those eight cases the accused had walked free after lengthy court trials, the five accused in Reddy’s case were sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for life after close to a decade last year.
Sridhar Reddy has secured convictions in three more murders as well as 60 cases of robbery and theft.
IO Sathyanarayana Adepu – Gang Rape & Murder
(Kumurambheem Asifabad dist)
In Nov 2019, a woman who made a living by selling balloons and plastic items went missing. A missing case was registered at Lingapur police station, a Maoist-affected area.
It was after two days of search by cops and locals in the villages she was last seen and surrounding dense forest that her naked body with injuries was found in cotton fields.
Three persons, who were detained, initially denied any role. But when cops found the woman’s phone with them they cracked under sustained interrogation and confessed to her rape and murder.
The case created an uproar in the area with people demanding instant punishment. At one point protesters even stopped the vehicle transporting them to Hyderabad till evening on the NH, demanding they be handed over to them.
“After an assurance that the accused will be punished in a court of law, they withdrew. The villagers from where the accused belonged also supported us. There were no eyewitnesses. But we gathered every minute detail about the woman, the accused and ensured witnesses deposed before court,” said investigating officer (IO) Sathyanarayana Adepu, who was then DSP (Adilabad) and is currently DSP (Intelligence) in Warangal.
The court delivered the judgment in 68 days from the day the woman went missing and sentenced the three to death in Jan 2020.
The woman’s husband was later given a job in the transport department and their son was admitted to a govt residential school.
IO Dr Sangramsingh G Patil – Infant’s Rape
(Bhadradri Kothagudem dist)
A 16-month-old baby was raped in June 2018. Though her parents turned hostile and witnesses also resiled from their earlier statements, the distant relative accused of the crime was eventually sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for 25 years in Feb last year.
The incident happened in Dummugudem when the girl’s family was attending a family function. The man had taken the child to play with her and later handed her over to the parents. But when the girl continued to cry for a long time, her mother noticed injuries on her private parts. Subsequently, the man was caught and beaten up.
The girl’s mother lodged a police complaint and the accused was arrested.
However, cops suffered a setback when the parents and witnesses turned hostile. The accused too claimed he was falsely implicated.
But the court observed the accused had not set up any defence and concentrated on winning over witnesses.
The medical examination report of the girl also confirmed sexual assault, wherein the doctor who examined the girl “without a second opinion/doubt concluded the baby was subjected to sexual assault”, observed the court. Forensic examination of the man’s clothes worn at the time of the crime also proved his role in the crime.
“The verdict sends out a strong message that justice prevails and also that victims or families should not be stigmatised, but supported in all possible ways in their path to justice,” said Patil, a 2015 batch IPS officer currently on central deputation and posted as the additional DG, Centre for Good Governance, Hyderabad.
IO Sreedhar Reddy Pulimamidi – Honour Killing
(Rachakonda Commissionerate)
A Dalit man was murdered in full public view by his Muslim wife’s brother and brother-in-law as they were against the couple’s marriage. The couple belonged to Vikarabad district and after their marriage were living in Saroornagar. The incident happened in May 2022 and the accused were sentenced to life in Oct last year by a city court.
On the fateful day, the accused had tracked the couple using ‘Find My Device’ and other mobile applications and chased them while they were returning home on a bike.
They first hit the bike and, as the couple fell down, attacked the man with weapons and killed him even as his wife tried to stop them.
The murder was captured on CCTVs near the spot and witnessed by passersby.
IO Sridhar Reddy, then ACP LB Nagar, filed the chargesheet with technical evidence on mobile phones of both the accused and deceased, forensic evidence, statements of witnesses and Test Identification Parade (TIP) of the accused. During the trial, one of the key eyewitnesses travelled over 700 km from Srikakulam to Hyderabad to give evidence.
“The evidence gathered through relentless investigation, forensic analysis, combined with eyewitness accounts and TIP built an unassailable case against the accused. Further, their bail petitions were also opposed, ensuring they remained in prison till completion of trial,” said Sridhar Reddy, who is currently ACP (Special Branch) Rachakonda.
After the murder his wife was provided shelter by the department of women & child welfare, Telangana, where she completed vocational training. She is currently employed with the same department.
IO Sridhar Reddy Mamilla – Murder
(Suryapet dist)
Narsimhulagudem village in Suryapet had a dubious distinction for a long time due to faction killings and accused walking free. But following the conviction of five accused in the 2014 murder of a sarpanch investigated by then Kodad circle inspector Sridhar Reddy, there has been no faction incidents in the village.
“The accused had dragged the case for nine years by filing several petitions. But ensuring eyewitness and other witnesses testified, and production of material objects as well as documentary evidence before the court on time during the trial resulted in the conviction,” said Sridhar Reddy, currently posted as DSP (Kodad).
It was in Jan 2014 that Narismhulagudem village sarpanch Julakanti Pulinder Reddy was chased on Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway and hacked to death by his political rivals.
Three decades prior to Reddy’s murder, eight others were killed by their rivals in faction killings. While in all those eight cases the accused had walked free after lengthy court trials, the five accused in Reddy’s case were sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for life after close to a decade last year.
Sridhar Reddy has secured convictions in three more murders as well as 60 cases of robbery and theft.
