News And Events

HYDERABAD: All four accused in the rape-and-murder case of a 25-year-old woman veterinarian near here last month were killed in an exchange of fire with police on Friday morning, police said.

The incident took place around 6.30 am when the accused were taken to the site of the offence for reconstruction of the scene of the crime as part of the investigation, a senior police official said.

"They (accused) snatched weapons from police and fired on police and tried to escape... police fired in retaliation in which the four accused died," a senior police official told PTI.

Two policemen were also injured, he said.

The four men, all lorry workers, aged between 20 and 24, were arrested on November 29 for raping and killing the woman by smothering her and later burning her body.They were remanded to 7 days' judicial custody.

Reacting to the killing of the four accused in the encounter, the victim's sister said they welcomed it.

"We thank everyone who stood by us. With this incident people should be scared to indulge in such crimes (against women),” she told reporters.

The gang rape-and-murder triggered a nation-wide outrage with the public and lawmakers demanding speedy punishment to the perpetrators.

The state government had ordered setting up of a special court (fast track) to expedite the trial.

Chain of events

A woman veterinary doctor is gang-raped and killed. The assailants burn her body on the outskirts of Shadnagar in Telangana's Ranga Reddy district.

Hyderabad police arrested four persons -- Mohammad Ali alias Mohammad Arif, Jollu Shiva, Jollu Naveen Kumar and Chintakunta Chenna Keshavulu -- in connection with the case.

The news of the brutal rape and murder left the entire nation outraged. Protests held across the nation demanding swift punishment for the perpetrators.

Outrage in Parliament, MPs demand swift death penalty, public lynching and castration of rape convicts. Cutting across party lines, the MPs in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha condemned the Hyderabad incident 'in one voice' and demanded strict laws that punish the guilty in crimes against women within a fixed time-frame.

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Samajwadi Party's Jaya Bachchan said rapists should be "brought out in public and lynched."

The Centre assures it was ready to amend laws to bring in stringent provisions and ensure speedy justice.

Investigation gathers pace as the Telangana government set up a fast-track court for a speedy trial.

On December 6, all the four accused shot dead in a police encounter as they allegedly tried to escape while the crime scene was being reconstructed.