Hyderabad Encounter LATEST Updates: Gautam Gambhir calls for judicial reforms, extends support to police 'if accused were trying to escape'

‘Extra judicial killings are unacceptable’: Shashi Tharoor

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor also reacted to the Cyberabad Police’s encounter in which all four accused in the Hyderabad rape and murder case were killed on Friday and said that “extra judicial killings were not acceptable”.

In a reply to a Twitter user condemning the police action, Tharoor said that he agreed with her “in principle” but cautioned against split condemnation. He said, “We need to know more, for instance if the criminals were armed, the police may have been justified in opening fire preemptively. Until details emerge we should not rush to condemn. But extra-judicial killings are otherwise unacceptable in a society of laws.”

Agree in principle. We need to know more, for instance if the criminals were armed, the police may have been justified in opening fire preemptively. Until details emerge we should not rush to condemn. But extra-judicial killings are otherwise unacceptable in a society of laws. https://t.co/BOMOjCYrb1

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) December 6, 2019

DCW says Hyderabad encounter will send ‘strong message’

Swati Maliwal, chief of the Delhi Commission For Women (DCW) on Friday said that the Hyderabad encounter, in which all four accused in the rape and murder of a 26-year-old vet were killed by the police, will send out a strong message, “but that there are still thousands of victims who are awaiting justice”.

“What about thousands of Nirbhayas who are still waiting for justice. At the end of the day, there will be a strong message (after the encounter), and people will feel justice was done. But l want this country to run through a system,” Maliwal said.

News18 reported that Maliwal is on an indefinite hunger strike as part of her demand for capital punishment for rapists within six months of their conviction.

Standing instruction to police to file chargesheet within 10 days: Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said that she doesn’t tolerate any kind of violence against women, in the context of the developments in the Hyderabad rape and murder case.

She added, “My standing instruction to police is to arrest accused immediately and chargesheet them within 3-10 days. This is the law.” Her remarks come a few hours after the Cyberabad Police killed all four of the accused in an encounter at the site of the original crime.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee: I don't tolerate any kind of violence against women. My standing instruction to police is to arrest accused immediately & chargesheet them within 3-10 days. This is the law. pic.twitter.com/RXXfKcDs1d

— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2019

Gautam Gambhir says judicial system needs to be reformed

BJP MP from Delhi Gautam Gambhir urged for reforms in India’s judicial system while reacting to the news of the encounter in which all four accused in the Hyderabad rape and murder case were killed by the Cyberabad Police on Friday.

He said, “Judicial system needs to be reformed. The verdict of fast track courts should be final and there should be no further appeals or mercy petitions for death the penalty. If they (accused) were trying to escape then, I stand with police.”

BJP MP Gautam Gambhir: Judicial system needs to be reformed.Verdict of fast track court should be final & there should be no further appeals or mercy petitions for death penalty. If they (accused in veterinarian rape &murder case) were trying to escape then, I stand with police. pic.twitter.com/73wWT1wQnP

— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2019

Journalist files complaint against “extra-judicial killing” in Hyderabad rape and murder case

Journalist Anjali Mody on Friday filed a complaint against the “extra-judicial killings” in the Hyderabad vet rape and murder case on Friday. This was before the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took cognizance of the incident.

I have filed a complaint about the extrajudicial killing of the 4 accused in the PriyankaReddyCase with the NHRC : diary number 14564/IN/2019. Of course, in the NHRC its mostly the police investigating the police ... but ... pic.twitter.com/I7Xq40VcMf

— anjali mody (@AnjaliMody1) December 6, 2019

Will answer anyone: Cyberabad Police on NHRC taking cognizance of encounter

The Cyberabad commissioner of police, VC Sajjanar on Friday addressed a press conference on the encounter in which all four accused of the rape and murder of a 26-year-old vet in Hyderabad, were killed by the police. When asked for a reaction on the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) taking cognizance of the incident, Sajjanar said, “We will answer to whoever takes cognizance, the state govt, NHRC, to all concerned.”

As Telangana cops receive praises for encounter today, local police mucked up investigation on day of crime

Hyderabad Police is being lauded by a large section of people after the news of killing of four accused persons in the Hyderabad rape and murder came to light. However, just until hours before the alleged encounter, the police force was facing flak for failing to fulfill its duties on the day the crime was committed.

On 27 November, when the victim was abducted, gang-raped and killed, her sister had proceeded to RGIA police station within half an hour of her last distress call . It is noteworthy that the RGIA police station is less than ten minutes from the Shamshabad toll plaza, where the crime had taken place.

The cops at the RGIA station refused file a complaint, citing that the site of crime was outside their jurisdiction. They asked the veterinarian’s sister to approach Shamshabad Rural Police Station instead. The victim’s family faced a similar ordeal at the Shamshabad police station about establishment of police jurisdiction. The FIR was finally lodged at 3.10 am, four-and-half hours after the victim’s sister first approached the police.

Accused were not ready to surrender: Cyberabad Police

Cyberabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar further said that the police warned the accused, asking them to surrender, but they did not give in. Sajjanar said they had to resort to firing as the accused were not ready to surrender.

“Then we opened fire and they were killed in the encounter. During encounter, two police men have been injured and they have been shifted to the local hospital,” said Cyderabad police commissioner.

The accused snatched our weapons and open fired, says ​Cyberabad Police

Addressing the media, the Cyberabad Police Commissioner said that the accused first attacked the police with sticks, which was followed by snatching away their weapons from the personnel and resorting to open firing on them.

Cyberabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar addresses media

The Cyberabad Police is addressing the media on the encounter that took place in the wee hours of Friday killing all the four accused in the rape-murder of 26-year-old woman veterinarian.

Rape convicts under POCSO Act should not have right to file mercy petition, says Ram Nath Kovind

Reacting to the police encounter in Hyderabad where all the four accused in the rape and murder of the 26-year-old woman veterinarian were killed, President Ram Nath Kovind said, “There should be no mercy for rapists. These kind of incidents shocks the whole nation.”

“Women safety is a serious issue. Rape convicts under POCSO Act should not have right to file mercy petition. Parliament should review mercy petitions.” said the president at an event in Rajasthan’s Sirohi. 

President Ram Nath Kovind at an event in Sirohi, Rajasthan: Women safety is a serious issue. Rape convicts under POCSO Act should not have right to file mercy petition. Parliament should review mercy petitions. pic.twitter.com/sUiydWKwHI

— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2019

NHRC takes suo motu cognisance of Hyderabad police encounter 

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of the police encounter in connection with the rape and murder of veterinarian doctor in Hyderabad. They will be sending a fact finding team in the encounter site.

‘Good will always prevail over evil,’ says BJP MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore lauding Telangana Police

Giving away to the general sentiment of blood lust, former Olympian and BJP MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore also didn’t hold back when expressing his appreciation for the “leadership” of the Telangana police. 

“I congratulate the Hyderabad police and the leadership that allows the police to act like police. Let all know this is the country where good will always prevail over evil,” Rathore said. 

I congratulate the hyderabad police and the leadership that allows the police to act like police
Let all know this is the country where good will always prevail over evil
(Disclaimer for holier than thou- police acted swiftly in self defence)#Encounter#hyderabadpolice

— Col Rajyavardhan Rathore (@Ra_THORe) December 6, 2019

Important to inquire details of encounter killings: Chidambaram on killing of all accused 

Reacting to the anticipated encounter killings of all the four accused in the gruesome gang-rape and murder of a 26-year-old woman veterinarian on Friday, semior Congress leader P Chidambaram said it was important to inquire into the details of the encounter to ascertain the truth. 

“I don’t know facts of what happened in Hyderabad. As responsible person,all I can say is, it must be thoroughly inquired into,to find out if it was a genuine encounter whether they were trying to flee or it was anything else,” the Congress leader said.

Thought of killing accused never struck: Ex-police officer who handled Delhi gang rape case

Former Delhi Police commissioner Neeraj Kumar, who handled the Nirbhaya gangrape-and-murder case, on Friday said the thought of killing the accused never crossed his mind.

“There was a lot of pressure at that time, but the thought of killing them never came. We were getting messages, asking us to throw the accused in front of hungry lions. But we followed the law,” he told PTI over phone.

Cyberabad Police chief also posted in Warangal at the time of encounter killings of acid attack accused

Vishwanath C Sajjanar, the Cyberabad Police commissioner whose men on Friday killed four alleged rapists arrested last week for the rape and murder of a veterinarian, is not new to encounters. In the second week of December 2008, Warangal district police had gunned down three youths in their 20s a few hours after they were caught in an acid attack case. 

Similar to the outrage after the recent Hyderabad rape and murder, pressure was mounting on the police in 2008 to deliver instant justice.

Sajjanar had defended the encounter, claiming that all three accused had tried to attack the police with a country-made gun when they were taken to the crime spot to reconstruct the scene. After some hue and cry over the ‘encounter’, the issue was given a quiet burial. 

Make such encounter killings legal: BJP’s Locket Charrerjee

BJP lawmaker Locket Chatterjee on Friday lauded Telangana Police after the accused in the veterinarian rape and murder case were killed in an encounter and added that such operations should be made legal.

“This is a very good step taken for our country, I felt really good when I read this news in the morning. The soul of the rape victim must be at peace now. Her family must be at peace. Such encounters should be made legal,” Chatterjee told ANI.

Cyberabad ​Commissioner Sajjanar was SP in Warangal  when acid attack accused were killed in encounter, say reports 

Vishwanath C Sajjanar, the Cyberabad police commissioner, was Superintendent of Police in Warangal when three men accused of an acid attack were gunned down in an alleged encounter in 2015, News18 reported.

We wanted death penalty but through proper judicial channel: NCW chief

Hours after the four accused in the rape-and-murder case of Hyderabad veterinarian were killed in an encounter, NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma on Friday said though the women rights body wanted death penalty for the accused, it should have come through proper judicial channel.

“We wanted death penalty but it should have been through judicial channel. I do not know under what circumstances they were shot and this has to come out after the inquiry. So only the police can tell the truth or after the inquiry it would come out,” the  National Commission for Women chief told PTI over phone.

Discrepancy in police claims regarding time of encounter surfaces

News18  report revealed another discrepancy and loophole in the police narrative on the time of the encounter. Earlier a local police official had put the time of the deaths at around 3:30 a.m. However, today, deputy commissioner of police, N Prakash Reddy said, “In the morning, at around 6-6.30, our personnel have come to reconstruct the scene of crime and the accused have tried to snatch their weapons, and there was a cross-fire. In this, all the four accused have died. Two policemen have been injured.” There was no immediate explanation for the discrepancy.

Better late than never, says Jaya Bachchan on Telangana encounter

Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan on Friday described as “long due” the encounter of the four men accused of the gang rape and murder of a veterinarian in Telangana. Reacting to a question on the encounter in Parliament premises, Bachchan said: “Der aaye, durust aaye…der aaye, bohot der aaye.. (Better late than never)".  She had earlier in Parliament advocated for the lynching of rapists.

#WATCH Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan on accused in the rape and murder of the woman veterinarian in Telangana killed in an encounter: Der aaye, durust aaye...der aaye, bohot der aaye.. pic.twitter.com/sWj43eNCud

— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2019

Those opposing encounter are anti-nationals: YSRCP MP

Kanumuru Raghu Rama Krishna Raju, YSR Congress Party said, “They deserved to be shot dead. God has been kind that they were shot dead, this is a good lesson. They tried to run away and they were killed. No NGO should oppose it and if they do so, they are anti-national.”

Worrisome that people have lost faith in justice system: Arvind Kejriwal on Hyderabad encounter

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said while the people of the country are rejoicing the encounter deaths of the four accused in the gang rape and murder case of the Hyderabad veterinarian, it is also worrisome that they have lost faith in the justice system. “The rape cases that have come to light of late, people are in anger whether it is Unnao or Hyderabad, so people are expressing happiness over the encounter. 

“It is also something to be worried about, the way people have lost their faith in the criminal justice system. Together all the governments will have to take action on how to strengthen criminal justice system,” he told reporters.

‘Can’t just kill people because you want to,’ Maneka Gandhi opposes euphoria supporting ’encounter route’ for justice in brutal crimes

Responding to the news of police killing four accused of raping and murdering a young woman vet in Hyderabad in an encounter, Union minister Maneka Gandhi has said that it is a very “dangerous” thing to have happened. “Those people were in any case going to get hanging as punishment for the heinousness of their crime. But you cannot kill people because you want to,” she said. 

#WATCH Maneka Gandhi:Jo hua hai bohot bhayanak hua hai desh ke liye. You can't take law in your hands,they(accused) would've been hanged by Court anyhow. If you're going to shoot them before due process of law has been followed, then what's the point of having courts,law&police? pic.twitter.com/w3Fe2whr31

— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2019

MHA seeks report from Telangana govt on alleged encounter of 4 accused

The Ministry of Home Affairs has sought a report from the Telangana government on the alleged encounter of the four accused in the brutal rape and murder of a veterinary doctor in Hyderabad, News18 reported. Since the police action is a case of a killing in custody, as per the existing guidelines the state is now obligated to apprise the NHRC via MHA, sources aware of the development said.

Meenakshi Lekhi rubbishes questions on timing of encounter, hopes police action serves as deterrent 

Responding to the killing of the rape accused in police encounter, BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi told News18, “As you sow so shall you reap…they tried to flee so police shot them.” 

Lekhi also rubbished the questions being raised on the alleged loopholes in cops story and the timing and authenticity of the encounter. She asked, “What is wrong with recreating a crime scene at 3 am, that was the tentative time of crime… Law will take its own course…FIR will be registered, an inquiry will happen into police action, but one hopes this will prove to be deterrent for future rapists.”

“Had the  Delhi govt swiftly disposed off Nirbhaya killers file, perhaps deterrent would have come earlier,” the BJP lawmaker adds.

‘Now nobody will know if 4 men killed were innocent men,’ rights lawyer Karuna Nundy questions cops’ story on encounter

Supreme Court lawyer and rights’ activist Karuna Nundy took a different take on the Hyderabad cops’ action and the resulting euphoria on the death of four accused. Raising some pertinent questions on a long Twitter thread, Nundy pointed out that the killed men were still accused of the crime and had not been held guilty by a court.  

Now nobody will ever know if the four men killed by the police were innocent men, arrested fast to show action. And whether four of the most brutal rapists roam free, to rape and kill more women.#EncounterNight #Encounter https://t.co/LEXxSKWzre

— Karuna Nundy (@karunanundy) December 6, 2019

Too many coincidences in cops story: Hyderabad encounter raises more questions than it answers

Just a day after orders were issued by the Law Department of Telangana designating the first additional district and sessions judge in Mahbubnagar as a special court for the speedy trial of the gruesome crime, the police claimed to have shot dead the accused when they tried to escape. The police version, however, raises more questions than it answers. Too many coincidences around the encounter lend little credence to the cops’ story. According to them, the firing took place between 3.30 am and 5 am near the Chatanpalli underpass, where the charred body of the vet was found.

The very move to take the accused to the crime scene to reconstruct the crime at that time of the night appears highly irregular. The police claimed that since the public has been baying for the blood of the accused, they had to be taken under the cover of darkness. Even if that was true, it is difficult to believe that the police did not bother to have a tight security ring around the accused in such a high-profile case. 

_Read more here_

Euphoria in Hyderabad citizens as people lift cops on shoulders and parade them around

News agency ANI tweeted visuals of Hyderabad citizens cheering for the cops after the killing of all four accused in the murder and rape of veterinary doctor.

#WATCH Hyderabad: People celebrate and cheer for police at the encounter site where the four accused were killed in an encounter earlier today. #Telangana pic.twitter.com/WZjPi0Y3nw

— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2019

Accused were killed in self-defence: Hyderabad DCP

DCP Shamshabad Prakash Reddy said the accused snatched a weapon and fired at the police during the crime scene re-construction, ANI reported. This, Reddy said, prompted the police to fire back in self-defence, killing the four men.

Former DGP of Jammu and Kashmir Police congratulates Hyderabad cops

Former DGP of erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, Shesh Paul Vaidya congratulated the Hyderabad Police for taking down all accused in an encounter. He said that had the accused escaped from police’s custody, the cops would have faced severe flak. 

Well done boys- Telagana Police https://t.co/WTU5ZU7Wor

— Shesh Paul Vaid (@spvaid) December 6, 2019

Hyderabad citizens shower rose petals on police at site of encounter

Hyderabad: Locals had showered rose petals on Police personnel at the spot where accused in the rape and murder of the woman veterinarian were killed in an encounter earlier today pic.twitter.com/66pOxK1C2b

— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2019

‘This is not justice, but a relief,’ victim’s family expresses satisfaction on death of all four accused

Father of the 26-year-old woman veterinarian responded to the killings of the accused in a police encounter, expressing his gratitude towards Telangana government. “This is not justice…our daughter is lost to us forever. But, this is relief,” he says. “Police had told us they will take immediate action. And they did.”

NCW chief expresses happiness on death of accused

Rekha Sharma, chairperson of National Commission for Women, expresses her happiness over the police encounter that killed the four accused. “As a common citizen I am feeling happy that this was the end we all wanted for them. But this end was supposed to be through the legal system. It should have happened through proper channels,” she says. “We always demanded death penalty for them, and here police is the best judge, I don’t know in what circumstances this happened.”

Jungle raj in Uttar Pradesh right now: Mayawati asks state govt to take inspiration from Hyderabad Police

Appreciating the action of the Hyderabad police in handling the rape and murder accused of the veterinarian on Friday, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati took a swipe against the Uttar Pradesh government and accused it of treating criminals like “state guests”.

“Crimes against women are on the rise in Uttar Pradesh, but the state government is sleeping. Police here and also in Delhi should take inspiration from Hyderabad Police, but unfortunately here criminals are treated like state guests, there is jungle raj in Uttar Pradesh right now.”

Mayawati: Crimes against women are on the rise in Uttar Pradesh, but the state government is sleeping.Police here and also in Delhi should take inspiration from Hyderabad Police,but unfortunately here criminals are treated like state guests, there is jungle raj in UP right now pic.twitter.com/KeN53KCV4A

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) December 6, 2019

Had no other option, but to shoot them, says Cyberabad police commissioner on encounter with accused 

According to Cyderabad police, the four accused – Mohammad Ali alias Mohammad Arif, Jollu Shiva, Jollu Naveen Kumar, and Chintakunta Chenna Keshavulu – tried to attack the personnel and flee during the crime scene reconstruction at 3.30 am.

Speaking to News18, Cyberabad police commissioner VC Sajjanar, “They did not stop even when we asked them to surrender. Having no other option, we had to fire at them.”

Extremely happy with the punishment: Delhi gang-rape victim’s mother lauds Telangana Police

The 2012 Delhi gang-rape victim’s mother Asha Devi also responded to the overnight development in the Hyderabad vet’s rape and murder, saying she was extremely content with the punishment given to the accused. 

“Telangana Police has done a great job and I demand that no action should be taken against the police personnel,” said Asha Devi.

She also appealed to the Centre and the Delh government that her daughter, a 23-year-old paramedic student who was gang-raped inside a running bus in south Delhi and thrown out on the road along with her male friend on 12 December, should be given justice and demanded the culprits be hanged to death

“I have been running from pillar to post for the last seven years. I appeal to the justice system of this country and the government, that Nirbhaya’s culprits must be hanged to death, at the earliest,” she said. 

Asha Devi, Nirbhaya's mother: I have been running from pillar to post for the last 7 years. I appeal to the justice system of this country and the government, that Nirbhaya's culprits must be hanged to death, at the earliest. https://t.co/VoT5iv2caf pic.twitter.com/5ICgJUYaNz

— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2019

My daughter’s soul must be at peace now, says victim’s father on Telangana police encounter 

Father of the 26-year-old woman veterinarian responded to the killings of the accused in a police encounter, expressing his gratitude towards Telangana government he said, “My daughter’s soul must be at peace now.”

Father of the woman veterinarian on all 4 accused killed in police encounter: It has been 10 days to the day my daughter died. I express my gratitude towards the police & govt for this. My daughter's soul must be at peace now. #Telangana pic.twitter.com/aJgUDQO1po

— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2019

Correct way to deal with rapists: BJP’s Kapil Mishra on killing of all accused in Hyderabad rape-murder case 

Lauding Telangana Police for their overnight action by killing the accused in the rape and murder of the 26-year-old veterinarian, BJP leader Kapil Mishra said this was the “correct” way to deal with the rapists and hoped other states would take cue from them.

“This is the way to deal with rapists,” Mishra said, adding, “Hope police of other states will learn from you.”

Thank you Hyderabad Police 🙏

This is the way to deal with rapists.

Hope Police of other states will learn from you https://t.co/0C3EwgsFkg

— Kapil Mishra (@KapilMishra_IND) December 6, 2019