Telangana high court to hear petition against encounter of 4 accused in rape-murder of veterinarian

While the police action has largely come in for praise, it also evoked concerns over extra-judicial executions.

The Telangana High Court will on Monday hear the case of encounter deaths of the four men accused of raping and killing a 26-year-old veterinary doctor last month. The court had on Friday directed the state government to preserve the bodies of four accused till 8pm on December 9.

Police officers stand guard at the spot where accused in the rape and murder of the woman veterinarian were killed in an encounter, in Hyderabad on Friday. (ANI Photo)

The court had issued the directive treating as a petition a representation received in the Office of the Chief Justice alleging that the ‘encounter’ was extra-judicial killings and requesting judicial intervention.

All the four accused were gunned down by police on Friday morning at Chattanpalli when they were taken to the scene of crime near the culvert beneath of it where the charred remains of the veterinarian were found on November 28. The police recovered her phone, wrist watch and other things from the spot.

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The Cyberabad Police had said its personnel resorted to “retaliatory” firing after two of the accused opened fire at police after snatching their weapons besides attacking the latter with stones and sticks, resulting in injuries to two policemen.

While the police action has largely come in for praise, it also evoked concerns over extra-judicial executions.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had taken suo motu cognisance of the encounter and ordered probe. A seven-member committee was deputed by the NHRC on a ‘fact-finding’ mission.

The NHRC team, including a forensic medicine expert, had examined the bodies at a mortuary at a state-run hospital in Mahabubnagar district. It also visited the nearby encounter site and recorded statements of the family members of the four men killed in the encounter.

The four were arrested on November 29 for allegedly raping and killing the 26-year-old woman by smothering her and later burning the body.