7 Snake Gang Members Sentenced to Life Imprisonment

Ranga Reddy district court on Wednesday sentenced the seven of Snake Gang culprits to life imprisonment. Delivering the judgment, judge Varaprasad said the culprits behaved in a vulgar and inhuman manner, more dangerous than the poisonous snakes themselves and they should not be allowed to live in the society. Total nine persons were arrested by the Pahadi Sharif police on July 31, 2014 on a complaint filed by a woman of sexual assault after scaring her and her friend at a farm house. Police had later found that the gang was involved in several similar cases - threatening girls with snakes and sexually assaulting them and extorting money from others. A total of 37 victims came forward to complain and 21 of them deposed before the court. Police have filed cases under various sections of IPC including Sections 376-D Nirbhaya Act, 323, 395 and 452 for gang rape, torture and dacoity. Seven of the accused - Dayani, Khader Barakba, Tayyab Basalama, Mohammed Parvez, Sayyad Anwar, Khaja Ahmed and Mohammed Ibrahim were sentenced to jail for life while the accused number 8 - Ali Barakba - was released on the grounds of his age - over 50 years, as he already spent two years in jail. The court fined Rs5,000 on him before the release. Accused A-9, Salam Handi was acquitted on Tuesday. The victims expressed satisfaction over the judgment and said this would instil confidence in people, especially women, that the courts will come their rescue from inhuman and anti-social elements.