VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Friday stayed the life imprisonment sentence by the trial court to the 17 accused in the sensational Kappatralla mass murder that claimed 11 lives on May 17, 2008.
Families of Venkatappa Naidu and Maddileti Naidu of Kappatralla village in Devanakonda mandal of Kurnool district had a faction feud. On the fateful day, Venkatappa Naidu, who belonged to the TDP, was on his way to Kurnool in a jeep, when the accused rammed the vehicle with a speeding truck, hurled bombs, and attacked them with hunting sickles. Venkatappa Naidu and 10 others died in the attack.
Subsequently, the accused Maddileti Naidu and others were arrested by Devanakonda police. After a long trial, Adoini II Additional Sessions Court sentenced Maddileti Naidu and 17 others to life imprisonment on December 10, 2014. The accused challenged the verdict in the High Court. On Friday, a division bench comprising Justice K Suresh Reddy and Justice BVLN Chakravarthi, stayed the trial court verdict, and allowed the criminal appeal petition of the accused.