Adding to the many opinions voiced by celebrities on the reported police encounter in Hyderabad where the four accused of rape and murder of 26-year-old veterinarian Disha (name changed) were killed on Friday morning, sportspersons Jwala Gutta and Saina Nehwal also took to social media to express their views. The two badminton stars, however, had contradictory views to share on the much contested and debated actions of the Hyderabad police.
Saina, like many others, congratulated the Hyderabad police. “Great work #hyderabadpolice ..we salute u,” she tweeted.
Great work #hyderabadpolice ..we salute u
— Saina Nehwal (@NSaina) December 6, 2019
Jwala, however, questioned the actions of the police, asking whether the killings would indeed stop sexual violence against women, and moreover, whether the killings were selective, based on the social location of Areef, Shiva, Naveen and Chennakeshavulu, the four accused in the case.
“Will this stop the future rapists?? And an important question Will every rapist be treated the same way...irrespective of their social standing?!” Jwala tweeted.
Will this stop the future rapists??
— Gutta Jwala (@Guttajwala) December 6, 2019
And an important question
Will every rapist be treated the same way...irrespective of their social standing?!
Many people, including celebrities from the film industry, have lauded the Telangana police, with several media outlets and internet users hailing Cyberabad Commissioner of Police V C Sajjanar, who had led a similar encounter in Warangal back in 2008. Rajyavardhan Rathore, former Union Sports Minister and Olympic medalist in shooting, also cheered the police, while adding that the police had acted in self-defence.
“I congratulate the hyderabad police and the leadership that allows the police to act like police Let all know this is the country where good will always prevail over evil (Disclaimer for holier than thou- police acted swiftly in self defence) #Encounter #hyderabadpolice”, Rathore tweeted.
I congratulate the hyderabad police and the leadership that allows the police to act like police
— Rajyavardhan Rathore (@Ra_THORe) December 6, 2019
Let all know this is the country where good will always prevail over evil
(Disclaimer for holier than thou- police acted swiftly in self defence)#Encounter#hyderabadpolice
Many Twitter users critiqued Saina, calling the tweet an irresponsible statement coming from a sportsperson with a wide reputation and influence.
Even prior to the reported encounter, in the midst of the huge public outcry surrounding the incident, Jwala had said that the police must try to talk to the accused to understand the mindset that leads to such horrifying incidents of violence against women.
“In my opinion...the govt should first appointment few psychologists and make them speak to the accused and find out and ustand what’s driving them to commit such horrific crimes against women...and then the punishment should follow!!” Jwala had tweeted.
In my opinion...the govt should first appointment few psychologists and make them speak to the accused and find out and ustand what’s driving them to commit such horrific crimes against women...and then the punishment should follow!! #inmyopinion
— Gutta Jwala (@Guttajwala) December 3, 2019
Many Tollywood actors and filmmakers also lauded the police for 'serving justice', with only a couple of exceptions. Actor Rahul Ramakrishna and filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma questioned the encounter saying justice must happen through law enforcement.
“That wasn’t justice. That was a safety valve set in place to diffuse unmanageable public anger. Actual justice comes from enforcing laws that seek to prevent crime from happening,” Rahul Ramakrishna wrote.
That wasn’t justice. That was a safety valve set in place to diffuse unmanageable public anger. Actual justice comes from enforcing laws that seek to prevent crime from happening.
— Rahul Ramakrishna (@eyrahul) December 6, 2019
On a similar note, Ram Gopal Varma tweeted, "With regard to encounter killings ,the fundamental foundation of any society is to control emotional outbursts and apply rationality in a due process of the rule of law ..so encounters cannot be justified under any circumstances."
With regard to encounter killings ,the fundamental foundation of any society is to control emotional outbursts and apply rationality in a due process of the rule of law ..so encounters cannot be justified under any circumstances
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) December 6, 2019
Many people have said called the incident a case of extrajudicial killings, with legal experts saying that an immediate probe must be conducted into the reported encounter as per law, since the deaths occurred in police custody. The Telangana High Court has directed the government to preserve the bodies of the four men till December 9, following a writ petition by civil rights activists seeking judicial intervention into the reported encounter.
The four accused Areef, Shiva, Naveen and Chennakeshavulu were taken to the spot on Friday morning for collection of evidence. Police claim the accused attempted to escape by taking the guns of the policemen who accompanied them, and were subsequently shot in an encounter.