Vijayawada: A special court on Friday convicted K. Sasi Krishna to death for stabbing B.Tech student N. Ramya to death in Guntur in August 2021. The fourth additional district judge Ramgopal pronounced the judgment.
Soon after the murder took place, the police nabbed the culprit in just 10 hours with the help of CCTV footage. The new forensic labs set up under Disha Act helped to get forensic and DNA reports in just two days while the police filed the chargesheet in the case in a week from the time of murder and the special court held hearings on a regular basis to fast track the case and deliver the verdict in just 257 days after examining 28 witnesses. However, the court gave the opportunity to the convict to appeal in the High Court against the verdict.
The court observed that this was the rarest of the rare case. “The woman was murdered in broad daylight while people were watching the Independence Day celebrations. There was no remorse in the accused after he committed the crime and he even tried to run away from the court,” the court noted.
Considering all these, the court decided on awarding the severest punishment to him – for hanging him until his death.
Ramya hailed from Guntur. Sasi Krishna befriended her through social media and started to trouble her. She refused to be close to him and blocked his mobile number. Nursing a grudge over it, he assaulted her with a knife, causing multiple injuries on her body on August 15, 2021, around 10am. This resulted in her instant death.
Based on a complaint lodged by her father Venkata Rao, police booked a case and nabbed the culprit near Narasaraopeta. A charge sheet was filed in 15 days and the investigation was done under the new Disha Act. The trial started in December.
Guntur SP Arif Hafeez said they had entrusted the investigation to the Disha DSP. No bail was granted to the accused while in judicial remand.
Chief Minister Jagan, in a tweet, welcomed the historic verdict given by the fast-track court and praised the police department for completing the probe expeditiously. The court verdict sent a strong message to the perpetrators of crime against women and children, the CM said.
The CM congratulated the police and the public prosecutor who took up the case with 'Disha' spirit and said this case was an “example of our commitment towards women safety and security.”
