Indian police kill four men suspected of gang rape, murder; draw cheers

[snoop1130]

Indian police kill four men suspected of gang rape, murder; draw cheers

By Anshuman Daga, Derek Francis

 

People shout slogans as they celebrate after police shot dead four men suspected of raping and killing a 27-year-old veterinarian in Telangana, in a residential area in Ahmedabad, India, December 6, 2019. REUTERS/Amit Dave

 

HYDERABAD, India (Reuters) - Indian police shot dead four men on Friday who were suspected of raping and killing a 27-year-old veterinarian near Hyderabad city, drawing applause from her family and hundreds of citizens outraged over sexual violence against women.

 

The men had been in police custody and were shot dead near the scene of last week’s crime where they tried to snatch the weapons of accompanying policemen, said N. Prakash Reddy, a deputy commissioner of police in Shamshabad, near Hyderabad.

 

During the past week, thousands of Indians protested in several cities following the alleged rape and murder of the veterinarian, the latest in a series of horrific cases of sexual assault in the country.

 

The woman had left home for an appointment on her motor-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.

 

Police said she was abducted, raped and asphyxiated and her dead body then set alight on the outskirts of Hyderabad. Four men were arrested.

 

Reddy, the police officer, said the men - two truck drivers and two truck cleaners, aged between 20 and 26 - had been taken to the spot to re-construct the crime around 6 a.m. (0030 GMT) on Friday.

 

“And there was a cross-fire. In this, all the four accused have died,” Reddy said. “Two policemen have been injured.”

 

He did not immediately provide details on how many police had escorted the four accused and whether they were handcuffed or roped together as is usually the case.

 

Earlier a local police official had put the time of the deaths at around 3:30 a.m. There was no immediate explanation for the discrepancy.

 

Indian police have frequently been accused of extra-judicial killings, called “encounters”, especially in gangland wars in Mumbai and insurrections in the state of Punjab and in disputed Kashmir. Police officers involved in such killings were called “encounter specialists” and were the subject of several movies.

 

The victim’s family welcomed the news of the killings of the alleged perpetrators.

 

“It has been 10 days to the day my daughter died. I express my gratitude towards the police & govt for this. My daughter’s soul must be at peace now,” Reuters partner ANI quoted her father as saying.

 

A Reuters reporter saw the bodies of the four men lying in an open field, two of them face up, clothes stained with blood and barefoot, surrounded by policemen.

 

A large crowd had gathered at the site of the shooting and threw flower petals at police vans in support of the action. Some shouted “Long live police”; others hoisted police officials onto their shoulders and burst crackers.

 

UNABATED

 

Crimes against women have been unabated in India despite tough new laws that were enacted following the 2012 gang rape and murder of a woman in a Delhi bus that led to an outpouring of anger across the country.

 

Despite the setting up of fast track courts, cases have moved slowly, for lack of witnesses and the inability of many families to go through the long legal process. Some victims and their families have ended up being attacked for pursuing cases against powerful men, often local politicians.

 

Many Indians applauded the killings on Friday, taking to Twitter to support the police.

 

“Great work #hyderabadpolice ..we salute u,” wrote Indian badminton star and former world No. 1 Saina Nehwal.

 

On Twitter, #encounter was the top-trending hashtag in India and No. 4 worldwide.

 

In Uttar Pradesh state, where a rape victim was set ablaze on Thursday while she was on her way to court, opposition politician Mayawati said the police there should take “inspiration” from what happened in Hyderabad.

 

Indian police registered more than 32,500 cases of rape in 2017, according to the most recent government data. But courts disposed of only about 18,300 cases related to rape that year, leaving more than 127,800 cases pending at the end of 2017.

 

But some people said the lack of progress in the courts did not mean the police had a free hand to dispense justice.

 

“This isn’t instant justice - this is the absence of justice. We’re not going to make women safer by abandoning the rule of law - is that so hard to understand?,” said Rukmini S., an Indian columnist, in a tweet.

 

Supreme Court lawyer Vrinda Grover said the police who were involved in Friday’s incident should face an inquiry, but in all likelihood would be rewarded with medals. “Killing accused like this is a short cut, but in the long run this won’t work, it will carry its own consequences.”

 

There was no immediate word from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government on the incident, but Maneka Gandhi, a lawmaker from his Bharatiya Janata Party, said the police appeared to have over-reached.

 

“You can’t take law in your hands, they (accused) would’ve been hanged by Court anyhow. If you’re going to shoot them before due process of law has been followed, then what’s the point of having courts, law & police?”

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-12-06

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[MeePeeMai]

Quickest, cheapest and easiest way to rid this world of rotten scum buckets without wasting money on trials and appeals and incarceration and the like.  Extermination, same as the rats and roaches that find their way into your home.  Bravo to the Indian BIB!!

[Bluespunk]

7 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

The men had been in police custody and were shot dead near the scene of last week’s crime where they tried to snatch the weapons of accompanying policemen, said N. Prakash Reddy, a deputy commissioner of police in Shamshabad, near Hyderabad.

You’d think they’d have thought up a better lie than that beforehand. 

[Bluespunk]

10 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

You can’t take law in your hands, they (accused) would’ve been hanged by Court anyhow. If you’re going to shoot them before due process of law has been followed, then what’s the point of having courts, law & police?”

Bit like assuming they were guilty and would be hanged before the trial had taken place. 

[chickenslegs]

There must be some footage of the incident.

Nobody filming the re-enactment? Not even a bystander using their phone?

Hmmm.

[metisdead]

An off topic post and a reply has been removed. 

[StreetCowboy]

30 minutes ago, MeePeeMai said:

Quickest, cheapest and easiest way to rid this world of rotten scum buckets without wasting money on trials and appeals and incarceration and the like.  Extermination, same as the rats and roaches that find their way into your home.  Bravo to the Indian BIB!!

It saves money on finding the right culprits as well.

[Brigand]

The Indian justice system is notoriously slow, often taking like a decade for the wheels to turn on cases. I do find it odd that in this day and age of video news and instant viewing that there was no-one filming it all and no footage has emerged. Oh well, seems like the lynch mob got their wish but that doesn't surprise me in this place as it's a joke on many fronts really ... lived there for a few years and not a place you'd want to be as a normal native person.

[ChipButty]

I was only reading the other day about some guy raped and murdered a young English girl on the beach in Goa he only got 10 years

[torturedsole]

33 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Bit like assuming they were guilty and would be hanged before the trial had taken place. 

Not the point.  The suspects tried to divest the police of their weapons and were quite rightly shot dead.  

[Bluespunk]

11 minutes ago, torturedsole said:

Not the point.  The suspects tried to divest the police of their weapons and were quite rightly shot dead.  

Yeah, sure they did. 
 

While I have no sympathy for rapist scum and am shedding no tears over these deaths, I am not buying this escape lie. 

[billd766]

12 minutes ago, torturedsole said:

Not the point.  The suspects tried to divest the police of their weapons and were quite rightly shot dead.  

Really? And whose words say what happened?

 

Why it was the words of the police officers involved and it happened at 03:30 or 06 ish  in the morning.

 

quote from the OP.

 

"Reddy, the police officer, said the men - two truck drivers and two truck cleaners, aged between 20 and 26 - had been taken to the spot to re-construct the crime around 6 a.m. (0030 GMT) on Friday.

“And there was a cross-fire. In this, all the four accused have died,” Reddy said. “Two policemen have been injured.”

He did not immediately provide details on how many police had escorted the four accused and whether they were handcuffed or roped together as is usually the case."

 

A couple of small questions for you.

 

1   Why were the police doing a re-enactment at that time of the morning?

2   Why were the police close enough to have a gun or guns snatched from themselves?

 

[Andrew65]

47 minutes ago, Brigand said:

The Indian justice system is notoriously slow, often taking like a decade for the wheels to turn on cases. I do find it odd that in this day and age of video news and instant viewing that there was no-one filming it all and no footage has emerged. Oh well, seems like the lynch mob got their wish but that doesn't surprise me in this place as it's a joke on many fronts really ... lived there for a few years and not a place you'd want to be as a normal native person.

An old friend who used to hang out in Bangkok has lived in Goa for about 14 years, there was a British female murdered on the beach in Goa. My friend knew the guy (Samson) that was accused of the murder.

It probably took at least 10 years for this to come to trial.

[Basil B]

Seems had there not been such a public outcry at this crime that happens far to often in this sub continent these vial pieces of dogs do-do would still be walking free, no doubt there were others involved, how convenient, dead men don't talk...

[torturedsole]

5 minutes ago, sirineou said:

Yap , You might be next

Next.   

[metisdead]

Troll posts and the replies have been removed. 

[Tug]

As most normal people would agree rapists need to be dealt with harshly that beeing said that needs to be done in the courts and prisons not at the hands of the police my deepest condolences to the bereaved 

[Emdog]

I'm not generally in favor of extra judicial killings, but must admit part of me thought "Good. That sends a message."

“And there was a cross-fire. In this, all the four accused have died,” Reddy said. “Two policemen have been injured.”

Sounds like a "circular firing squad" in real life.

Hope they got the real perps.

[jesimps]

This is what happens when people despair of getting justice from the law courts. Gang rape is an epidemic in India, maybe a bit of rough justice will act as a deterrent.

[klauskunkel]

There is this:

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

We’re not going to make women safer by abandoning the rule of law - is that so hard to understand?

and then there is that:

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Crimes against women have been unabated in India despite tough new laws

so, is there a solution? Counselling and group sessions?

[malibukid]

why do Indian men behave like this? over 100 rapes a day!  what is it about their culture that seems to tolerate this?  i love India but i am debating about returning.  perhaps they should just be castrated at birth.

[RichardColeman]

 

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

had been taken to the spot to re-construct the crime around 6 a.m. (0030 GMT) on Friday

 Assuming that they DIDN'T do it, how could you possibly reconstruct it without putting the defence case in jeapody ?

[chilli42]

“... 32,500cases of rape in 2017, according to the most recent government data. But courts disposed of only about 18,300 casesrelated to rape that year, leaving morethan 127,800 cases pending at the end of 2017.
 

”We’re not going to make women safer by abandoning the rule of law - is that so hard to understand?”
 

Is it any surprise then that people have no confidence in an ineffective judicial system like this?

 

[Rimmer]

Off topic baiting and bickering posts removed

[hotchilli]

18 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

“Killing accused like this is a short cut, but in the long run this won’t work

In the short term until courts get their act together it works for me...

[digger70]

20 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

You’d think they’d have thought up a better lie than that beforehand. 

Well it's the cops word against the daed ones ,, Dead people don't talk ,,Cops must be right then.

[atyclb]

20 hours ago, MeePeeMai said:

Quickest, cheapest and easiest way to rid this world of rotten scum buckets without wasting money on trials and appeals and incarceration and the like.  Extermination, same as the rats and roaches that find their way into your home.  Bravo to the Indian BIB!!

 

[Baerboxer]

21 hours ago, MeePeeMai said:

Quickest, cheapest and easiest way to rid this world of rotten scum buckets without wasting money on trials and appeals and incarceration and the like.  Extermination, same as the rats and roaches that find their way into your home.  Bravo to the Indian BIB!!

 

Providing, of course, they actually arrested the correct criminals. 

 

Indian police are one of the least professional in the world. Known for inaction, favoritism, bias, tortured confessions, and poorly explained deaths of accused. They also look for bribes, favors and fawn to the rich and powerful. 

 

In this case people were seething at the lack of police action and result. Suddenly the police arrest 4 suspects who then, when taken to re-enact the scene, try to escape, assault officers and are shot dead.

 

Now it could be that they were guilty, did try to escape and were shot. Or it just might be that the police, anxious to appease a baying mob criticizing them arrested 4 people who were conveniently shot dead before trial. The discrepancy in the time of death seems odd.

 

See if there's a full independent public examination of all the evidence. 

 

 

[Baerboxer]

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

In the short term until courts get their act together it works for me...

 

You have great trust in the integrity of all police world wide then.

[hotchilli]

47 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

You have great trust in the integrity of all police world wide then.

No I was referring to police the action towards rapists in India, if I was talking about police worldwide I would have stated that.