Trial begins in Hajipur rape and murder cases

HYDERABAD: The trial of Marri Srinivas Reddy, accused of having kidnapped, raped and murdered three young girls in Hajipur, started at the Nalgonda district court on Monday. It may be recalled that in what turned out to be a sensational case, the bodies of the three girls were found abandoned in agricultural wells of the village.

The trial is first addressing the case of 12- year-old Kalpana, whose skeletal remains were found in one of the wells. Kalpana was missing since April 2015, and a missing case was lodged in this regard at Bommalaramaram Police Station. In June 2019, cases were registered in connection with all three girls, and the accused Marri Srinivas Reddy was arrested. In August 2019, the charge sheets were filed. 
The police have collected scientific evidence like FSL reports, technical evidence like his mobile location, and even eye witnesses, while framing charges against Srinivas Reddy. 

In April 2019, as Sravani, 14, was returning home from school, the accused offered her a lift on his bike. Midway, he asked her to marry him and forced himself on her. When she tried to escape, he throttled her and left her unconscious. He then threw her into the abandoned well. Later, he climbed down the well and sexually assaulted her. He subsequently smothered her to death and buried her in the same well.
During investigation, Sravani’s bag was found near the well, which led the investigators to her body. Further, they identified Srinivas Reddy as the owner of the land and detained him. On inquiry, he admitted to raping and killing Sravani. 

The accused Marri Srinivas Reddy also confessed to raping, killing and burying two other girls — Maneesha, 17, and Kalpana, 12 — in the same manner.