DCW's Swati Maliwal speaks out on the Hyderabad encounter

On the four accused of Hyderabad horror being killed in an encounter, Delhi Commission for Women Chief Swati Maliwal who usually is a critique of the police force has sided with them today saying that the Police must have had no other option but to kill them as they were trying to escape. “If rapists will try to run, what else will the police do but this is exactly why I am on an indefinite hunger strike. I think the people of this country are very angry and I think the police is also a part of the country,” said Maliwal. 

Criticizing the center for not passing stringent laws against rapists, she appended, “In such circumstances, the Centre has to act up, immediately create the system in this country in which under all circumstances, rapists are given the death penalty within six months, otherwise police will also lose the faith in them, the entire country has lost faith in them. Now in this incident, whether the police really felt that they (accused) were running away or whether they (police) felt that if they will leave them (accused) then they will become just guests at tax-payers money. So now one doesn’t really know.” 

Speaking on her indefinite hunger strike, she said, “If you see in Nirbhaya’s incident also, till now her convicts despite having been ordered the death penalty two years back by the Supreme Court continue to be living off the tax-payers money. So, I think my indefinite hunger strike is for a stronger system and it will continue until a stronger system is created in this country”.

The four accused in the Hyderabad horror were under police custody when they tried to snatch police weapon and attacked the police. The police in retaliation encountered them. It is reported that some of the police officials suffered injury in the encounter.

MASSIVE | All 4 Accused In Hyderabad Rape And Murder Case Killed In Encounter By Police

Indefinite hunger strike

In the aftermath of the Hyderabad horror, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal continued her hunger strike on Wednesday at Raj Ghat, demanding the death penalty for convicts in rape cases within six months. Starting an indefinite hunger strike on Tuesday over the Hyderabad rape and murder case, the DCW Chairperson had said that her protest would continue until the Central government gives assurance that rapists will be hanged within six months. 

READ | College Students Protest Over Horrific Hyderabad Rape And Murder Case

The Hyderabad incident

A horrific incident came to light when the burnt body of a woman was found in the outskirts of Hyderabad’s Shadnagar area. Investigation revealed that a 26-year-old veterinary doctor was brutally gang-raped and murdered by at least four truck drivers and workers on the highway a little away from a toll plaza. A preliminary probe had stated that after raping her mercilessly, the rapists wrapped her in a blanket and set her ablaze. Members of the victim's family had filed a missing complaint after she did not return home by 10.20 pm on the same night she went missing. The victim's sister revealed that the victim had called her saying that she felt scared as a lorry driver had lured her two-wheeler to allegedly repair a puncture. 

READ | College Students Stage Protest In Bengaluru Against Hyderabad Horror

The victim's sister who last talked to the victim said that a lorry driver had sent the vehicle allegedly to a repair shop with a small boy. The boy had then returned with the vehicle allegedly stating that all shops were shut. Ten teams had been formed to crack the case and four persons allegedly involved in the case were arrested on November 29 and sent to 14 days judicial custody. The accused reportedly tried to escape today after snatching a weapon from police and were killed in an encounter. The Nirbhaya-like brutal rape and murder incident had outraged the entire nation.

WATCH | Hyderabad Horror: DCW Chief Swati Maliwal Continues Her Indefinite Hunger Strike