PUNE: The encounter of the four accused in the Hyderabad veterinarian’s rape and murder case has been hailed by citizens across the country. However, the experts stated that the police have violated the law and that justice should be given under the umbrella of law. Sakal Times speaks to citizens inlcuding experts in the field of law and human rights.
Whatever happened to the four accused was justified. The cold-blooded encounter will be hailed as an example of justice. This is how things should be done. This case has given a voice to several other rape cases across the country and has raised discussions on women’s safety in Parliament.
— Sharwari Kale (20), media student
I understand that the suspects deserved what they got, but it wasn’t the right way to do it. The death sentence should have been passed by the court and not the police. While some believe that the killings go against the principle of democracy, sometimes that’s the only way we can create fear for the law in the people. Perhaps the legality of the encounter will be questioned in the coming days, but people across the country feel that justice has been delivered.
— Anuj Gaikwad, BBA student
The police shouldn’t have encountered them. Instead they should have been set ablaze, same as they did to the victim. They got an easy death.
— Monika Awari, IT professional
Justice had to be served for the young Hyderabad veterinarian but it should have been under the jurisdiction of law. The citizens have become restless and tired of the pending cases and delayed justice, hence are appreciating this encounter. There are over 700 fast-track courts in the country. Around 1,000 are in the pipeline. The law should set a time limit to prosecute cases which involve serious violence against women. Similar provision is mentioned in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
— Vijaya Rahatkar, Chairperson of Maharashtra Women Commission
The so-called encounter was an illegal and criminal act by the police to divert attention from the failures of the justice delivery mechanism to ensure justice for women who face violence. How can revenge be equated with justice? People are frustrated with the huge delays in getting justice and are reacting in this manner but that does not mean that the police can take the law into their own hands. There should be an Inquiry into the incident.
— Kiran Moghe, General Secretary of the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA)
Encounter is not okay! It is absolutely wrong. The police have the role of registering the complaint and arresting the accused. Giving justice or verdict is judiciary’s role. Secondly, people who are applauding the encounter are looking at the incident in a disassociated view. If the same incident happened with somebody they knew or of their family members, then those people who are applauding it, would they have tolerated it? Another possibility of people’s reaction is also because of the pendency cases in such crimes. People don’t see justice happening. They have lost trust in judiciary. Judiciary and police reforms need to happen and people have to be ensured that the law will be implemented properly.”
— Advocate Rama Sarode, Human Rights Activist
What is being celebrated by citizens across the country is good for a moral victory, but the very authenticity of the facts presented by the police raises suspicion. Is the celebration good? I believe no. Indeed this is custodial killing and warrants a strong and detailed investigation. Of course, I am not supporting the accused, but law of the land shall and must always prevail over morality. If the overall incidence as stated by the police is considered, it looks scripted and foul. The accused died a easy death without trial. That is not Justice!
— Adv Pushkar Patil
The police effected swift arrests in the present case, but the propriety of the encounter is a matter of departmental investigation. However, the fact that the encounter is being celebrated by a large portion of the society reflects on the otherwise slow investigative and judicial process. We as a country should work towards overhauling our justice delivery system. Measures such as time-bound trials in cases of offences against women, could be a better way forward.
— Adv Chinmay Bhosale
Hyderabad police have set a dangerous precedence thereby insulting the fairness of the judicial set-up and is dangerous to the Constitution. The fear that now strikes is that the police now have licence to kill persons to reduce their work of investigation. We have to be cautious since today it has happened to them, tomorrow it may happen to either of us and inevitably to persons belonging to social and economically distressed classes.
— Adv Vijayalaxmi Khopade
The way police acted, I salute them not once but a thousand times. In this type of situation, the police need to know that they have weapons and police uniform to protect the people and they should use the weapons without fear of enquiry or any other things. The police were not having any personal enmity with these accused persons.
— Retd ACP Bhanupratap Barge
Giving punishment is the duty of the judiciary and not of the police. Killing these accused in cold blood raises many questions. First failing in duty to protect a girl and then killing proves that we as a civilised state are failing to uphold the rule of law. I agree this attitude has created trigger happy and extortion loving police all over India. The media and blinded people have justified the lynching of poor and lower caste people, killing of lower caste women on the reason of witchcraft and killing of encounters of Muslim youths in the name of fighting terror. We are shamelessly failed as a civilised society.
— Spl IGP Abdur Rahman, State Human Rights Commission
We trust the police mechanism and believe that whatever is done has been done after giving due consideration to the process of law. However, we are of the opinion that education and moral upbringing is the solution to curb offences of rape and encounters is not the means to justice, although at present the said encounter is striking the chords with popular demand of the masses.
— Adv Sudhir Reddy
