- Dec 10, '08: Three men who threw acid on two female students shot dead. Did public pressure force the police's hand?
- Oct 23, '08: Criminal Gaddam Jagan killed in the Ursu hills in 'encounter'
- Dec 12, '07: Cops kill the three alleged kidnappers of a 11-year-old girl. Her body had been found in a well.
- Jun 4, '06: Ex-Naxalite Kogilvai Ravi gunned down on Warangal's outskirts
***
Under public pressure, the police picked up the men again on December 12, and presented them before the media. The trio even confessed to the crime. But then things got murkier. They were supposed to be produced in court the following day but were killed in a late-night encounter. Warangal SP V.C. Sajjanar gave Outlook the police version: "We had taken the accused to recover the stolen motorcycle and the acid bottle used in the crime when they attacked our team. They had apparently hidden a 9 mm pistol and knives at the spot. They fired 4-5 rounds after which the police returned fire in self-defence." Sajjanar maintains the encounter was genuine.
However, rights activists aren't so sure. They want to know why the police took the accused for the recovery during the night. Human Rights Forum president K. Balagopal says, "It's cold-blooded murder, done to cover up police inefficiency and gain public sympathy." Political parties like the TDP and the Left have also condemned the "fake encounter".
The action, though, was welcomed by the public. Sajjanar and his team were toasted for "eliminating the accused". Bouquets and greetings flooded the SP's office. KITS student V. Parthasarthy sums up the mood when he says "that's how criminals should be punished". For many, it was instant justice. Even the Warangal bar association felt so. They had earlier passed a unanimous resolution not to appear for the accused.
Accused Raju's father, who refused to take the dead body, says his son "deserved it". Sanjay's father, a heart patient, suffered a stroke. Harikrishna's father says his son was innocent and holds the police responsible for the murder.
While the story of what actually transpired may never see the light of day, the case will be much debated in the days to come. A big question: where does the buck stop if the police deliver and execute justice themselves?
