Chennakesava Reddy, J. - (1.)This case discloses a deeply distressing and sorrowful story. The mounting wave of migration to the cities, considered as 'islands of privilege' has spawned scattered colonies. One such colony is Gokhalenagar in Ramanthapur to the west of Hyderabad City. It appears, this colony is predominantly inhabited by Malayalees. The adult male members were all employed either in some private factories or in Government of India offices at Hyderabad. They normally left for work by about 8 A.M. when the colony got practically desolated and deserted but for the women folk who engaged themselves in the usual house-hold chores. Only the vegetable or the fruit hawkers were the sentinels of this colony and that gave ample opportunity for the marauders to visit and pillage systematically the helpless women of the colony.
(2.)Pennamma, the deceased in the case, was a 30 years old, young Malayalam Jady, of swarthy physique. She was tall 5'4' and was noticeably decent and modest type of women. She was married and had two children, Limey and Blimey. Her husband Joseph, (P.W6) was employed as a Supervisor in Super Foam factory at Uppal. She lived in House No. 3105. Gokkalenagar, with her husband, his brother (P.W.7), and her two young children. The house was a small one consisting of three rooms in a row, almost all in equal dimensions. The front room was used more as a bed room while the central room with a door towards east was used as a common room for sitting and drawing and the last room was used as a kitchen. P.W.-1, Laxmi Devi and P.W3, Panchali, lived inseparate houses just behind the house of Pennamma. They were neighbours and both of them lived in the same compound. P.W2, Shanta Kumari, was the immediate neighbour of P.W1. They are also Malayalees. Their husbands were also employed too and would leave their homes on work by about 8 a.m. P.W4 is another Malayalee who runs a small kirana shop in Ramantbapur near the Polytechnic College. He goes to the shop by about 8 a.m. His house is located near the temple of Ramanthapur. P.W5 is another Malayalee who was working in the same factory as P.W.6, the husband of Pennamma.
(3.)The accused was a cooly. He was also a resident of Ramanthapur and was quite familiar with the locality. On 8-11-1976 P.W 6 left the house at about 7.20 a.m. as usual is his factory at Uppal. P.W 7, who was working in another factory at Uppal, had his duty on that day from 2.00 p.m. to 10.00 p.m. So he left the house at 1.30 p.m. The two children of Pennamma, Limey and Blimey, who were studying in Ramalaxmi School, came to the house at 12.45 p.m. for lunch. After taking their lunch, the children left for the school at about 1.30 p.m.