Petition filed in SC against police personnel involved in Telangana encounter case

A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court on Saturday seeking registration of First Information Report (FIR), investigation and action against the police personnel involved in the encounter of the four accused in the gang-rape and murder of a 27-year-old veterinarian in Telangana.

The petition was filed by advocates GS Mani and Pradeep Kumar Yadav. They approached the Supreme Court saying that the apex court's 2014 guidelines were not followed.

In the wee hours of Friday, all the four accused in the gang-rape case were killed in an encounter by the Telangana Police.

As per the media reports, the police took the accused to the spot where the incident took place to recreate the crime scene as part of investigations. The accused then tried to escape and attacked the police. In self-defence, the police opened fire on them.

Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) team has arrived in Hyderabad to conduct a spot inquiry into the matter.

Yesterday, National Human Rights Commission announced that it has taken suo motu cognizance of the media reports about the case, adding that a fact-finding team, headed by a Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) will be sent immediately to the site of the encounter for an on the spot investigation into the matter.

The Telangana High court ordered on Friday that the bodies of the four men, accused of raping and murdering a veterinarian in Hyderabad who were killed on Friday, should be preserved by the state government till 8 pm on December 9.

The order came in response to a writ petition filed the High Court.

The rape and murder had triggered countrywide shock and protests after her body, which was burnt, was found near Hyderabad.

As people lauded the police for serving the 'justice', showering them with rose petals, distributing sweets, bursting crackers and shouting slogans praising the cops, there were some who questioned the legality of the encounter.

A woman veterinary doctor's burnt body was found in the Ranga Reddy district on November 28 and a case under the relevant sections was registered by the state police. After initial investigations, the police suspected that she was sexually assaulted before being charred to death.