No bullets found in bodies of accused in Disha rape and murder case 

Amaravati:  The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet yesterday approved a draft legislation that mandates disposal of cases of atrocities against women within 21 days and handing out the death penalty.

The legislation, an amendment to the AP Criminal Law, will be called the “AP Disha Act”, in memory of the veterinary doctor raped and murdered in Telangana recently. Another draft legislation has also been approved which will pave the way for establishment of Special Courts to try cases of atrocities against women and children.

Under the proposed AP Disha Act, death penalty has been prescribed for rape.

Where cognizable evidence is established in such cases, the amended law prescribes completion of investigation in seven days and Court trial in subsequent 14 days so as to award punishment within 21 days. 

The Cabinet also approved the draft ‘AP Special Court for Specified Offences Against Women and Children Act, 2019.’ Under this Act, special Courts will be set up in each of the 13 districts to try cases of atrocities against women and children like rape, sexual harassment, acid attacks and harassment through social media.

Depending on the gravity of the offence, the punishment will range from 10 years to life imprisonment, including under the POCSO Act. Under the POCSO Act, the current punishment is imprisonment for 3-5 years.   

No bullets found in bodies

No bullets have been found in the bodies of the accused in Disha rape and murder case, stated in the post-mortem report. The doctors said that the bullets pierced out from the bodies and are yet to be retrieved. 

Mohammad Arif sustained four bullet injuries while Siva and Chennakesavulu had three bullet injuries and Naveen had one bullet injury. However, these bullets have to be collected from the spot and are yet to be known from whose gun they were fired.

It is said that two accused snatched guns from the two Policemen and eight other Police personnel who were at the spot gunned down the accused. The Police also have to learn how many rounds of bullets the Police fired at the accused.  

Bodies shifted

Meanwhile, the bodies of the four suspects were shifted to Gandhi Hospital mortuary amidst tight security from Mahbubnagar Government District Hospital. The bodies were preserved in 7, 8, 9 and 10 number boxes. Since the High Court ordered to preserve the bodies in Gandhi Hospital till Friday, Police officials shifted the bodies.