BENGALURU: Indian police shot dead four men on Friday who were suspected of raping and killing a 27-year-old veterinarian, Priyanka Reddy in the city of Hyderabad, a police official told Reuters.
The men had been in police custody and were shot near the scene of last week’s crime, said N Prakash Reddy, a deputy commissioner of police in Shamshabad, near Hyderabad.
“In the morning, at around 6-6.30, our persons have come to reconstruct the scene of crime and the accused have tried to snatch their weapons, and there was a cross-fire. In this, all the four accused have died. Two policemen have been injured,” Reddy said.
No details were immediately available about how many police had escorted the four accused and whether they were handcuffed or roped together as is usually the case.
During the past week, thousands of Indians have protested in several cities following the alleged rape and murder of the Priyanka Reddy.
The woman, who cannot be named under Indian law, 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.
Read more: Priyanka Reddy: Protesters demand justice for vet’s murder, rape
Local media said she was taken behind a line of trucks, raped and asphyxiated and her dead body then set alight on the outskirts of Hyderabad. Four men aged between 20 and 28 years were arrested.
The family of Priyanka Reddy welcomed the news of the killings of the alleged perpetrators.
Hyderabad: Spot where accused in the rape and murder of the woman veterinarian were killed in encounter earlier today by Police. #Telangana pic.twitter.com/5WoYh1Rjg8
— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2019
“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 quoted her father as saying.
