Telangana: Two get lifer for killing Dalit Man in Saroornagar

 Hyderabad: The judge of the special court for SC & ST cases Afroz Akthar on Friday sentenced Syed Mobin Ahmed and his brother-in-law Mohammed Masood Ahmed to life imprisonment for the murder of a Dalit man, Billipuram Nagaraju, husband of Mobin’s sister Syeda Ashrin Sultana, at Saroornagar in May 2022.

The court awarded them four life imprisonment sentences on each charge, which are to run concurrently, and imposed a fine of Rs 6,000 each. At the time of the murder, Ashrin was preparing to appear for Group I entrance and Nagaraju was working as a sales executive.  

The accused had earlier made two futile bids to kill Nagaraju. On the day of the third attack, they trailed the couple on a bike, intercepted them and brutally attacked Nagaraju in full public view even as Ashrin begged them to leave him.

They pushed her away and continued the assault, killing him on the spot. The gory incident was captured by many people on their mobile phones and CCTVs in the area.

The eyewitnesses testified in the court and also identified them during the identification parade.

Ashrin and Nagaraju, both hailing from Vikarabad district, fell in love in college and got married against her family wishes. They moved to Hyderabad and were staying away from both families.

“This is a landmark judgement and it has been secured in a record time. Appreciating the evidence that was produced, the court found the accused guilty and awarded them punishment,” said LB nagar DCP B. Sai Sree.

He applauded ACP P. Sreedhar Reddy, former Saroornagar SHO K. Seetharam, special public prosecutors K.V. Beena and A. Phani Kumar and court duty officers for quickly tracking the accused.

May 2022: Nagaraju killed

August 2022: Chargesheet filed

November 2022: Commencement of trial

Witnesses examined by court: 63

Eyewitnesses: 11, including Ashrin