In a major development, all four accused in the Hyderabad veterinary doctor’s gangrape and murder case, were shot dead by the Cyberabad police. They had been taken by the police to the scene of crime to retrieve the victim’s objects like cellphone, watch, powerbank when two of the accused reportedly tried to escape. Cyberabad commissioner VC Sajjanar said they snatched the weapons from the police and attacked the 10-member police party with stones and sticks. The police claim they had to shoot to prevent them from doing so and in self-defence. This happened at the crack of dawn around 5:45 am.

Incidentally, the accused were shot dead around the same time they had set ablaze Disha’s body on the night of November 27-28. Two cops – one sub-inspector and one constable – also suffered injuries.

Sajjanar said the four accused were taken at that time of the day for security reasons because their life was facing threat. They were not handcuffed, said the commissioner.

The Telangana government had cleared the setting up of a fast-track court in this case amidst calls for lynching of the accused. But this encounter will raise questions if the state came under pressure or whether it was a genuine case of the accused trying to escape under the cover of darkness.

The parents of Disha have expressed satisfaction at what happened. There is also jubilation over social media with even prominent celebrities like Nagarjuna and Rakul Preet thanking the Telangana police and claiming justice had been served.

The incident is reminscent of the 2008 killing of the three accused in the acid attack in Warangal. At that time, VC Sajjanar who is the Commissioner of police of Cyberabad now, was the SP of Warangal.

Meanwhile the National Human Rights commission has taken suo moto note of the encounter and will issue notice to the state government and the police.