Medak village grips in grief as 5-year jail for 67 people

A pall of gloom descended on a remote village Madsetpalli in Medak district after the court judgement on Wednesday in which 67 people including 9 women were convicted and sentenced to 5-year jail term and a fine of Rs 2500 each on the charges of killing a couple and attacking the police personnel on duty in 2009. 

According to prosecution, Yerrolla Yellaiah went to Madsetpalli in Pedda Sankarampet mandal for funeral of his step-brother Devaiah along with his wife Sangamma on May 31 in 2009. Suspecting the couple had responsible for Devaiah’s death by doing banamathi (sorcery), Devaiah’s relatives confined them in a house and beaten them sprinkling chilli powder. On information, SI Shyamsundar, constable Sevalala and home guard Nagaraju reached the village and tried to shift the injured couple to hospital. The villagers chased the police and manhandled them indiscriminately. Later, Narayankhed  CI along with a posse of security personnel arrived in on hearing news were also attacked by the villagers. 

Delivering the judgement after four years, Medak Assistant Sessions Judge Chandrasekhara Prasad convicted 67 villagers and sentenced five-year jail term. He also imposed a fine of Rs 2,500 each. Cases under IPC Sections 147, 148, 149, 341, 307 and 109 were registered against the villagers.   

They were shifted to jail in a special bus on Thursday amidst cries of their children and the wives. Out of 125 families in the village, 30 families were taken into custody. One or two persons left in each family in the village. They alleged that the police foisted cases even on the on-lookers. 

-Sakshipost