Science, 300 witnesses to nail killer

Hyderabad: Fingerprints found on the schoolbag of one of the victims and bloodstains on the dress helped Rachakonda cops investigating the triple murder cum rape case in Hajipura to zero in on the serial rapist and killer. The three incidents had taken place over a long period of time.

Forensic science, physical evidence (witnesses) and technology were the three pillars of the investigation which helped the police file the chargesheet within 90 days.

This crime was so heinous that the case was treated as high priority. Police said forensic evidence and DNA profiling helped them make the breakthrough which pinned the crime firmly on M. Srinivas Reddy, who kidnapped, raped and murdered three minor girls in Hajipura, a few kilometres away from the city .

A senior policeman said the investigating officers lifted fingerprints from a bag belonging to the girl, and examined the garments of the victims and the soil around the place where the bodies were dumped.

The blood stains on the dress of one of the victims matched that of the accused and so did the fingerprints on the bag, according to scientists.

Dr G.V. Rao, former chief staff scientist, DNA Fingerprinting Lab, CDFDA, explained how any DNA of the perpetrator found on the victim or at the crime scene can be admitted as evidence. “As there are no eye witnesses in the case, scientific evidence will play a pivotal role,” Mr Rao said.

Mobile signals also helped. An analysis of the call record showed that the accused was in the same location during the specific time period when the murder took place.

Over 300 physical witnesses were cross examined. The chargesheet was filed in 90 days and there is talk of a fast-track court hearing the case.