Dandupalya

The film opens with the gang being brought to the prison for execution, establishing a tense mood. Inspector Chalapathi warns the prison warden to handle them carefully, signaling deep mistrust and foreboding. The scene sets up the stakes of the impending judgment.

Indian Express journalist Abhivyakti 'Abhi' reopens the case, contending there is no solid circumstantial evidence. She starts with the local jewellery maker, who reveals that stolen ornaments were remade and used as fake evidence, and that a witness from Singapore was fabricated. She questions why no FIR was lodged, and why the evidence was manipulated.

Abhi meets the parents of the victims and learns neighbours had not seen the gang in the locality. The parents explain how police claimed the gang's guilt, claiming the victims were handed over to them and brutally blamed the poor. The encounter deepens the sense of injustice and possible manipulation.

After an initial failed attempt to access the gang, Abhi eventually gets a chance to meet them. The gang is moved to another prison designated for execution, signaling intensified stakes. There they encounter Umesh Reddy, who appears innocent but is part of the web.

In a candid session, the gang narrates their version of events to Abhi, condemning the police for using torture to force confessions. They insist they are victims of coercion, not criminals by choice. The confession they give is shaped by the brutal treatment they endured.

The gang explains their hardships—migrating to an unknown land, starving in the slums, begging for food, and occasionally taking odd jobs. They describe elevated desperation that led them toward menial, sometimes criminal activities for survival. Their backstory adds context to their perceived culpability.

The Dandupalya serial killings heighten public and police pressure, pushing officials to crack down. The inspector faces scrutiny for failures to curb crimes, while forces are reinforced. This climate foreshadows harsher actions against the gang.

One night, after a late movie, the inspector spots two gang members and strikes them when they fail to produce tickets. He drags them back to the slum and unsettlingly asserts control. The scene highlights the vigilante-like approach of the police.

The squint-eyed member steals a gold ring to treat his wife's injured leg and tries to sell it to a jewellery shop. The inspector arrives, administers another beating, and confiscates the ring. This event reinforces the cycle of violence and coercion used to manipulate the gang.

That night, the police abduct the rest of the gang to a secluded spot and torture them, including a female member subjected to sexual assault. The sustained abuse continues for 40 days, pressuring them to admit crimes they did not commit. The investigation is derailed by brutal extrajudicial methods.

Abhi publishes an article accusing the police of using force and false evidence to frame the gang. The public and authorities react to the allegations, challenging the legitimacy of the case. The journalist's work catalyzes scrutiny of law enforcement practices.

The inspector confronts Abhi, signaling ongoing tensions between the police and the journalist. The rest follow the sequel, implying more revelations or a continuation of the case. The film closes on an unsettled note, hinting at further consequences.