Accused snatched two 'unlocked' weapons, tried to 'escape', says Cyberabad Sajjanar on encounter

Hyderabad, Dec 06: Vishwanath C Sajjanar, the Cyberabad Police commissioner whose men on Friday killed four alleged rapists arrested last week for the rape and murder of a veterinarian, on Friday said that the accused had confessed to the crime and had taken them for evidence information. He also said that their personnel resorted to "retaliatory" firing after two of the accused in the rape and murder of a woman veterinarian opened fire at police after snatching weapons from them this morning.

Speaking to media, told reporters that one of the accused, Mohammed Arif, was the first to open fire, even as the police team that took them to the crime scene were attacked with stones and sticks. The snatched weapons were in "unlocked" position, he added.

Sajjanar said,'' On 4 and 5 December, we interrogated the accused after taking the accused into police custody. Today, the police brought the accused to the crime spot as part of investigation. The accused then attacked the police with sticks and then snatched the weapons from us and they started firing on police.''

They snatched two police weapons and tried to fire on them. We also fired, after some time we found them dead",said Cyberabad police Commissioner on the encounter.

''The police warned them and asked them to surrender but they continued to fire. Then we opened fire and they were killed in the encounter. During encounter, two police men have been injured and they have been shifted to the local hospital,'' Sajjanar said.

''We have also seized two weapons from the accused persons. The body of accused have been shifted to local govt hospital for PME. There were around 10 police with the accused persons during the time of encounter. We have recovered the victim's cell phone here at the spot,'' he also said.

''I can only say that law has done its duty. We will answer to whoever takes cognizance, the state government, NHRC, and to all concerned. We suspect that the accused were also involved in many other cases in Karnataka, investigation is on. We will not keep calm if our personnel are being attacked. We had to open fire as they tried to escape from police custody by injuring us," he told media earlier in the day.

Earlier in the day, the Centre has sought a report from Telangana government over 'custodial killing' of Telangana veterinarian's alleged rapists.

Meanwhile, there seems to be some discrepancy in the timing of the encounter. While Cyberabad police initially said that the 'encounter' took place at 3:30 am, Shamshabad deputy commissioner N Prakash Reddy, in an official statement, later said, "At around 6-6.30, our persons arrived at the spot to reconstruct the scene of crime and the accused tried to snatch their weapons, and there was a cross-fire."

As part of the crime scene reconstruction, the police team took the suspects in a vehicle with escort to the Tondupally toll plaza around 2 am. After questioning them, the suspects were later taken to the Chatanpally culvert where the victim's body was burnt.