SC stays High Court order in Tsundur massacre case

Hyderabad, July 30 (INN): The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday stayed the verdict of the Andhra Pradesh High Court which had set aside the order of a Special Court sentencing 21 people to life imprisonment and 35 others to one year’s jail for the 1991 massacre of Dalits in Tsundur village of Guntur district. The apex court has also issued notices to the accused in the case.

A division bench of High Court headed by Justice L Narasimha Reddy had struck down the sentence for lack of evidence in the case on April 21. The bench also noted that accused have already spent a long time in jail. The Andhra Pradesh Government then filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in Supreme Court on June 30 challenging the High Court’s verdict. After hearing the case on Wednesday, the Supreme Court had stayed the High Court order.

In 2007, a Special Court had convicted 56 accused and acquitted 123 others in the case in which eight Dalits of Chunduru (Tsundur) village of Guntur district were killed on August 6, 1991. Of the 56 found guilty, Special Court Judge S Anees had convicted 21 under Section 302 of IPC. Chargesheets were filed against 219 persons and 12 FIRs were registered in the case. Thirty-three people died during the trial. Two police officers who were investigating the case also passed away during the trial. (INN)