Celebrations broke out in various parts of Hyderabad after the four accused in the gangrape and murder of a Hyderabad veterinarian were killed in a reported encounter on Friday morning.
Scores of people gathered near the site of the reported encounter, about 500 metres from the Chatanpally underpass where the burnt body of 26-year-old Disha (name changed) had been found. The bodies of the four accused are reportedly still there.
While the police have blocked the highway, the crowd has been showering flowers on the location where Disha’s body was found. The crowd has also been celebrating the deaths by bursting fireworks near the underpass, which the police have now told people to stop.
A few days ago, the same police force had come under massive criticism for turning away the vet's parents citing jurisdiction. A policeman had also suggested that she may have left her house voluntarily.
The crowd even lifted a few police officers on their shoulders, and shouted slogans of Jai Telangana Police’, ‘Police zindabad’. Slogans of ‘Jarigindi jarigindi nyayam jarigindi (Justice has been served) and ‘CP Zindabad’ were also heard.
A group of men gathered near the site where the four accused were shot dead cheer Telangana police for the killings. pic.twitter.com/kuY6pgyHIk
— Jahnavi Reddy (@Jahnavi_R) December 6, 2019
The atmosphere outside Disha’s home was also jubilant, with neighbours and friends distributing sweets. Crackers were also burst to celebrate. With the entire neighbourhood gathered outside the home, slogans of “Telangana police ki jai ho,” rang in the air. The Telangana police were praised for their actions, and the public believes that the swift action was correct.
Indicative of the mood that the public may have lost faith in the judiciary, neighbours outside Disha’s home said that they did not expect the police to react and “serve justice” so quickly.
Neighbours outside Disha's house distribute sweets. They say justice is served.@thenewsminute pic.twitter.com/QPe1crpGcJ
— Priyanka Richi (@priya_richi) December 6, 2019
Speaking to TNM, one of Disha’s neighbours said, “This should set a precedent for all other crimes in the country and deter men from even thinking about committing such heinous crimes. We hope this has brought peace to Disha's soul. We also understand that the parents of the accused are under extreme pain, but that doesn't reduce the severity of what the accused have done. If you have committed a crime, you should definitely be punished.”
On November 27, Disha, a 26-year-old veterinarian doctor from Hyderabad was gangraped and killed allegedly by the four-member gang, who are natives of Narayanpet district, at Thondupally toll gate on Outer Ring Road, Shamshabad.
The four accused were shot dead in the same place where Disha's body was burnt after she was gangraped. They had been taken to the scene of the crime at Chatanpally, nearly 50 km away from Hyderabad, on Thursday to collect evidence of the crime. The reported encounter surfaced on Friday morning.
Though there were celebrations, many have also questioned the killings. Many also denounced the notion that extrajudicial killings would curb crime in the country, and questioned the legalities of skirting the justice system in favour of 'vigilante justice'.
We talk about ensuring immediate prosecution so an offender isn't emboldened to commit the same crime again. We need to apply this to criminal cops, emboldened by a blood-crazed public, as well. https://t.co/SH23wt8IBy
— Rukmini S (@Rukmini) December 6, 2019
'Satisfying the collective conscience' through vigilante justice, a recipe for unmitigated disaster if ever there was one. Rule of law and due process sounds cumbersome and inefficient, but only till this fire doesn't reach your house where public opinion is enough to kill.
— Sushant Singh (@SushantSin) December 6, 2019
An ever deeper descent into darkness. https://t.co/U3sOpNZIiD
— Gautam Bhatia (@gautambhatia88) December 6, 2019
Wow! blatant extrajudicial murder, whose perpetrators will be rewarded & celebrated by the state. Worst part is twitter morons will celebrate, because they don’t want the rape problem fixed. No systemic solutions just bloodlust - cuz you know bloodlust is a substitute for policy https://t.co/2x1x4rXVqA
— Abhijit Iyer-Mitra (@Iyervval) December 6, 2019
Terrifying. Police say the 4 ‘tried to escape’, but this sounds totally like a FAKE #encounter by a force that bungled everything from the start, and then couldn’t take the heat or pressure. National anger is NOT an argument in a country of laws. pic.twitter.com/Pj4gJbK9NE
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) December 6, 2019
Please, please educate yourself about the extent and enormity of violence against women before you applaud extreme and chilling extra-judicial measures that do absolutely nothing to fix the problem of violent masculinity in India, or fix the deeply broken trial system.
— Nilanjana Roy (@nilanjanaroy) December 6, 2019
The celebrations show that the justice system led by our judiciary and police has completely lost the confidence of the public. They will take even extra-judicial killings dished out as justice. Rule of law has failed.And the public celebrations is testimony of that. #DishaCase
— Pooja Prasanna (@PoojaPrasanna4) December 6, 2019