All 4 H’bad rape-murder accused killed in encounter
   Date :07-Dec-2019
Two of the accused opened fire at cops after snatching their guns Police fired back in self-defence Killings were largely greeted with praise but also sparked concerns over extra-judicial executions
HYDERABAD
ALL four accused in the rape and murder of a young veterinarian were shot dead by police on Friday during a pre-dawn exchange of fire near Hyderabad, a top police official said, as the killings were largely greeted with praise but also sparked concerns over extra-judicial executions.
 
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Policemen stand guard the area where all the four accused in the rape and murder case of a woman veterinarian were shot dead at Shadnagar of Ranga Reddy district in Hyderabad on Friday. (PTI) 
 
The four men were arrested on November 29 for allegedly raping and killing the 25-year-old woman by smothering her and later burning her body, an incident that led to widespread outrage and brought back memories of the December 16, 2012 gangrape and murder of a physiotherapy intern in Delhi.
 
They were remanded to seven-day judicial custody. Police said the killings took place between 5.45 am and 6.15 am when the accused, lorry workers aged between 20 and 24, were taken to the scene of the crime near Hyderabad from an undisclosed location for a reconstruction of events as part of the investigation. The four men--who were not handcuffed-- were in police custody, it said. Cyberabad Police Commissioner CV Sajjanar told reporters his men resorted to “retaliatory” firing after two of the accused opened fire at police after snatching weapons from them. A police Sub-Inspector and a constable suffered head injuries and were undergoing treatment, he said.
 
News of the ‘encounter’ killing led to celebrations in some quarters and concern in others. People reached the “encounter” site at Chatanpalli on the Hyderabad-Bengaluru Highway and congratulated the police and raised slogans in favour of them like ‘Telangana police zindabad’ and “We got justice”.
 
They said this act will act as a deterrent for people from committing any such crimes. The encounter site is in the fields adjacent to the Highway and near the culvert beneath which the charred remains of the 25-year old woman veterinarian were found. While the woman veterinarian has come to be known as “Disha”, direction, the Delhi girl was dubbed “Nirbhaya”, the fearless one.
 
People showered flower petals and paid homage to the veterinarian and raised slogans that justice had been done. Some shouted “Telangana Police zindabad”
 
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took cognisance of the killings and ordered an inquiry.
In a statement, the apex human rights body said the encounter was a matter of concern and needed to be probed carefully. Several Rights activists spoke out to express their outrage and said the police cannot act like a lynch mob under any circumstance.