Murder confirmed, not rape

It was murder for sure. As for the charges of sexual assault, it has so far been left inconclusive. Rachna Pratihar reports.

It was murder for sure. As for the charges of sexual assault, it has so far been left inconclusive.

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The forensic report in alleged rape and murder case of a 25-year-old housewife from Sion Koliwada has confirmed she was murdered by the four accused. The report, however, has not given conclusive evidence of rape.

On September 22, four men were arrested for their involvement in the crime. The accused were identified as Shankar Mudliyar (35), and three brothers — Rajesh Devendra (30), Kumar (28) and Nitya (25).

The Directorate of Forensic Science Laboratory’s report to the police states that the accused used kerosene oil to set the victim ablaze. The report says there were no traces of semen or blood found on the victim’s body. “It was difficult to establish rape since as body was severely burnt,” Director of the forensic laboratory M.V. Garad told Hindustan Times. “We had not received the victim’s vaginal swabs.”

Garad said that the same could not be collected as the victim’s body was almost charred.

“Kerosene was found on the partly burnt clothes of the victim and on the shirts worn by two of the accused — Nitya and Vijay,” said an FSL official on condition of anonymity. “It links them to the crime and corroborates their involvement,”

The laboratory had also received a bottle containing a bluish liquid (collected from the crime scene) that was found to be kerosene oil, besides a matchbox and a few partially burnt matchsticks.

Moreover, traces of blood (B-positive group-) were collected from the brownish mass comprising a mixture of ash, burnt remains of the victim’s clothes and vomit residue that was also collected from the spot.

The laboratory official said traces of semen were found on Nitya’s undergarments.

“But the blood group collected from his semen was O-positive does not match with that found from the victim’s samples. It does not provide a link of the accused’s involvement in committing sexual saul.”