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Indian government officials have finally received a DNA testing forensic report from the Hyderabad’s Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) resulting from the rape and murder case in Kamduni.  The sexual assault in which nine men reportedly gang raped, tortured and killed a 20 year old university student has drawn international attention and criticism, and resulted in violent protests across India.

The report was introduced into evidence nearly one month after the charge sheet alleging the crime was filed.  The DNA test results of the report indicate, contrary to reports relating to the crime, that only one person was involved in the now infamous gang rape and murder.  One of the nine men originally accused by authorities, Saiful Ali, has been confirmed as a genetic match for the evidence collected from the scene of the crime.

The evidence against the suspects

While the forensic report would purport to claim there was not nine but one assailant in the case, authorities were quick to say that the other suspects will remain as charged under India’s Penal Code section 376D for sexual assault.  The authorities have stated that regardless of the evidence left at the crime scene, the additional suspects will face the same penalty where they actively participated in the rape or simply attended or assisted the crime.

The Indian penal code states emphatically that regardless of the DNA evidence recovered from the crime scene that “”where a woman is raped by one or more persons constituting a group or acting in furtherance of a common intention, each of those persons shall be deemed to have committed the offence of rape and shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than twenty years, but which may extend to life which shall mean imprisonment for the remainder of that person’s natural life.”  The penal code does not specify whether those such as Ali whose DNA was recovered may face a stiffer penalty than those convicted of being party to the assault.

Since most of the nine men accused of the crime have allegedly confessed to being part of the sexual assault, there is no indication that the DNA testing will play a pivotal role in determining the face of the suspects.  With the introduction of the test results there is renewed fear that those who have confessed will recant their participation in light of being released from the biological evidence so far collected.

Advances in DNA testing and forensic science are aiding solving countless cases. Why not visit this webpage to read up further on DNA profiling and identification and how many western governments are compiling databases of DNA in order to try and reduce crime rates?

India’s reaction to the Kamduni rape

The Indian public has voiced strong commendation of the crime.  Since the incident, and similar sexual attacks against both Indian and one foreign woman, protests have erupted across the one time British colony.  Starting with localized protests beginning in the Kamduni area, people have taken to the streets to demand harsh punishment for men accused of these crimes against women.  In a country where the rights of women have long since taken a backseat to the needs of men, Indians are demanding a stop to the impunity of sexual attackers across the country.

Further reading

Following the death of the most infamous and heinous terrorist who orchestrated the 9/11 attacked, the American authorities wanted to make sure that they had in fact killed the right man, that the corpse they had was that of Osama Bin Laden.  Click here to read about the post mortem tests on Osama Bin Laden’s body.