Immediately probe the encounter: Legal experts

New Delhi: Legal experts say as per the law a probe should be immediately set up into the mysterious encounter of the four accused in the rape and murder of a Hyderabad-based veterinarian.

"The rule of law should prevail in the country, there should be an immediate inquiry into the encounter of the accused," said senior advocate Vikas Singh, former President of Supreme Court Bar Association.

A week after the brutal gang rape and murder of the young veterinarian in Hyderabad, police shot dead all the four accused in an alleged 'encounter' near Shadnagar town.

The accused were killed in the early hours of Friday when they allegedly snatched weapons from the police and tried to escape from Chatanpally near Shadnagar, about 50 kms from Hyderabad.

Singh emphasised that there should be a balance between the justice delivery system and human rights of the citizens. "The authorities should immediately begin an inquiry into this encounter, and this probe should be completed as soon as possible. The authorities should ascertain whether it was a genuine encounter or it was stage-managed by the police," added Singh.

The four accused killed in the encounter were identified as lorry drivers Mohammed Arif (26) and Chintakunta Chennakeshavulu (20), and lorry cleaners Jollu Shiva (20) and Jollu Naveen (20). All hailed from the Narayanpet district of Telangana.

Senior advocate Puneet Mittal said that there should immediately be a judicial probe into the matter to unearth the real picture behind this mysterious encounter. "The probe should be on the factors that were behind this encounter. The families of the accused could also move the court seeking inquiry into the matter," added Mittal.

Senior advocate Sanjay Parekh said according to the law the encounter should be looked into as killings. "As per law, a case should be registered against the police officials involved in the alleged encounter followed by a probe," said Parekh.

He also insisted that usually, the action of the police officials claiming self-defence comes into the picture at the stage of the trial, but at this stage of the case there should be a probe immediately to verify the encounter.