Bangalore: Death Penalty to 11 Dandupalya Gang Members

Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Oct 1: A special court in the city awarded death sentence to eleven members of the dreaded Dandupalya gang, feared for its crude methods and ruthlessness, in connection with 14 cases of dacoity, rape and murder, on Thursday September 30. The verdict was pronounced by the 34th city civil and sessions judge, H R Srinivas.

Dandupalya gang, once notorious all over the city in particular and several other places in the state in general, has been known to commit robberies, rapes and murders with impunity and without any humanitarian concern. Those who were awarded death penalty include gang leader, Dandupalya Krishna, Dodda Hanuma, Munikrishna son of Muniyappa, Venkataramana Timma, Venkatesh, Munikrishna alias Krishna, Nalla Thimma, Chimmamuniyappa, Krishendu and Lakshmi, wife of Dodda Hanuma.

While giving the verdict, the judge observed that the crimes committed by the gang members were so brutal that they are fit to be considered to be rarest of rare cases, as explained by the Supreme Court and High Courts. He also said that circumstantial evidences had proved beyond doubt that the gang members had raped and killed several women, and taken away their valuables. Most popular modus operandi owned by Dandupalya gang members to kill their victims was to slit their throats.

The cases with which the gang was involved were spread over a period from 1996 to 2000 in the city, Hubli and Mysore. The gang members were arrested in the year 1999 and 2000 after a determined bid to nab them was launched by the then joint commissioner, Suresh Babu. Let alone the citizens, even the policemen are said to be wary of the gang, which is known for violent behaviour, and careless attitude towards law enforcement agencies. Several members of the gang also face cases across the state including Mangalore.