‘Burn him too if he’s guilty’: Mother of accused in Hyderabad gangrape reacts in shock

Echoing the thoughts of agitated citizens who are demanding death penalty for the four accused as justice for the 26-year-old Hyderabad veterinary doctor who was brutally raped and murdered, parents of two of the accused have said that they want their sons to be punished if found guilty. On Thursday, Telangana woke up to the horror of a young woman being burnt at Chatanpally village, under Shadnagar police limits, in the outskirts of Hyderabad. Later, police found out that the victim was gangraped and killed. Jayamma, mother of Chennakeshavulu, who is accused number four in the gangrape and murder, told media, “If my son committed the crime, burn him too. My son is nothing to me. Wrong is wrong. She (victim’s mother) gave birth to a daughter after nine months. Her daughter becoming the victim of such a crime… what she must be going through.” Jayamma said that Areef, the prime accused, had come to their house on Tuesday to take Chennakeshavulu along with him. Her son was supposed to return on Wednesday, but didn’t. She said that Chennakeshavulu had not been working for the past six months as he had a kidney ailment and was availing treatment at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital in Hyderabad. “We don’t believe that he committed the crime, but if he did indeed commit it then he should face the same punishment as the other accused,” she said. Jayamma said that she too has a daughter and understands the pain of the grieving mother of the victim. Similarly, Hussain, father of the prime accused Areef, said that his son should be given the punishment that he deserves. All the four accused hail from Telangana’s Narayanpet district. Among them, Areef is from Jakkulare village, while the others are from Gudigandla. Both these villages come under Makthal mandal. Meanwhile on Saturday, residents of Makthal carried out large protests demanding justice for the victim. Presently, all the four accused have been sent to 14 days’ judicial custody. Read: Tracing the night Hyderabad vet was raped and killed: What eye-witnesses recall