India: 4 accused in rape-murder case shot dead

NEW DELHI, India / ANKARA, Turkey

Police in southern Telangana province in India on Friday shot dead four men who were suspected of raping and killing a 27-year-old veterinary doctor last week.

The encounter took place at Chatanpally near Shadnagar in Hyderabad -- capital of Telengana -- where the 27-year-old victim's charred body was found. While "reconstructing" the crime scene, the accused tried to escape the spot, said media reports quoting police as saying.

According to Indian broadcaster Network18.com, the four accused were taken in police custody on Wednesday night and were shot near the scene of last week's crime, police officer N Prakash Reddy said.

He said the men were killed after a "brief exchange of fire" around 6:30 am today (0100GMT) when they were taken to the site of the offense for "reconstruction of the crime scene" as part of the investigation.

Reacting to the police encounter, the victim’s sister said: “We are happy. We did not expect this [killing in encounter]. We thought they would be hanged through courts.”

A 27-year-old veterinarian was gang-raped, smothered to death and burnt last week.

The woman had left home for an appointment on her scooter and later called her sister to say she had a flat tyre. She said a lorry driver had offered to help and that she was waiting near a toll plaza. Reports had said the accused took her behind a line of trucks, raped, asphyxiated and then set her dead body alight on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

The incident triggered a nation-wide outrage. Thousands have protested in several Indian cities.

Citizens in Hyderabad "celebrated" the encounter killing of the four rape and murder accused. Locals even showered rose petals on police personnel at the spot where accused in the rape and murder of the woman veterinarian were killed.

Meanwhile, politicians along with people from different walks of life have expressed their support for the police.

Samajwadi Party member of parliament (MP) Jaya Bachchan, who had advocated public lynching of rapists, said "better late then never.”

Bhartiya Janata Party MP Maneka Gandhi questioned the extra-judiciary killings of the rapists.

“You cannot kill people because you want to. You cannot take law in your hands, they (accused) would have been hanged by Court anyhow,” said Maneka Gandhi to Press Trust of India.


- Rights group slams police action

Global rights watch group Amnesty International asked the provincial Telangana government to ensure an "independent, impartial, swift and thorough criminal investigation" into the alleged extrajudicial execution of four under-trial prisoners by the state police.

“Extrajudicial killings are not a solution to preventing rape,” said Avinash Kumar, Executive Director, Amnesty International, India, in a statement to Anadolu Agency.

“The reported delay in filing the First Information Report [FIR] by the Telangana Police in this case coupled with the shoddy investigation and the general low conviction rate for those accused of rape raises deeply disturbing questions about the state of justice in India," said Kumar.