Four get life imprisonment for gang rape, murder
Rajamahendravaram: The VIII Additional District Judge Court here has sentenced four accused to life imprisonment for the gang rape and murder of a woman, Routhu Kasturi, from Burrilanka village in Kadiyam mandal. District Superintendent of Police D Narasimha Kishore disclosed the details of the case to the media on Monday. According to the police, Kasturi had left her house around 2 pm on October 15, 2024, to work at a nursery owned by Patamsetti Ramudu near the Burrilanka bridge. When she did not return home by evening, her husband tried calling her phone, but it was switched off. Family members and villagers searched the surrounding areas but could not find her. A complaint was lodged at Kadiyam police station on October 16, following which police registered a case of a missing woman under Crime No 314/2024 and began an investigation. On October 17, Kasturi’s body was found in a canal near Choppella locks. The body was shifted to the Government General Hospital in Rajamahendravaram for post-mortem examination. During the investigation, police identified four suspects, Devara Yesu (26), Velubudi Praveen (21), Lokina Jayaprasad (19) and Dasari Suresh (22), all residents of Burrilanka and nearby areas. They were arrested on October 30, 2024. Police investigation revealed that the accused were consuming alcohol among the nursery plantations around 5.30 pm on October 15. When Kasturi was returning home after completing her work, they allegedly dragged her into the nursery area, sexually assaulted her and later murdered her. The accused then dumped the body in a nearby canal to conceal the crime.
The case was investigated by South Zone DSP S Bhavya Kishore, who filed the charge sheet against the accused under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Sections 70(1), 103(1), 238 read with 3(5). After hearing the arguments from both sides, the VIII Additional District Judge Court at Rajamahendravaram delivered its verdict on March 16, 2026, sentencing all four accused to life imprisonment.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 on each of the convicts, with an additional six months of imprisonment in case of default. The SP appreciated the efforts of Assistant Public Prosecutor K Radhakrishna Raju, investigating officer DSP S Bhavya Kishore, Kadiyam SI B Naga Durga Prasad, court constable K Srinivas and other police personnel who assisted in the investigation and ensured the presence of witnesses in court. SP announced rewards also for the officers and staff involved in successfully securing the conviction.
