Protests broke out across Hyderabad and Telangana on Saturday in the wake of the brutal gangrape and murder of a 26-year-old vet on the outskirts of the city earlier this week. Four men have been arrested for the crime, police said on Friday.
In Shamshabad, where the murder and rape occurred, a massive student protest was organised as scores demanded justice for the victim. Anger spilled out on to the streets as students gathered at Shamshabad, close to the residence of the vet, and staged a protest, bringing traffic to a standstill.
Several locals also stormed the Shadnagar police station, where the accused are being held, and blocked the road in front of it. They raised slogans condemning the crime and demanded an 'encounter' of the accused in the case.
The locals raised slogans of ‘we want justice’ and demanded the execution of the accused. Police tightened security and deployed additional force around the station in case the situation turned violent.
The accused will be taken to Shadnagar court on Saturday, where they will be produced before the magistrate.
The Executive Committee of the Bar Association, Ranga Reddy District court, also condemned the murder and appealed to its members not to represent for the accused in court. They also sought a special court to expedite the trial and ensure 'instant justice'.
Protests were also carried out in Vijayawada, where those gathered demanded safety for women and strict action against the accused.
The accused have been identified as Mohammed Areef (26), Jollu Shiva (20), Jollu Naveen (20) and Chintakunta Chennakeshavulu (20), all of whom are natives of Narayanpet district. According to police, the four allegedly plotted the rape after seeing the victim park her vehicle near the Tondupally toll gate in Shamshabad on Tuesday around 6 pm. They were reportedly consuming alcohol at the time.
Naveen allegedly deflated the tyre of the woman’s scooter, and when she returned, Areef, a lorry driver, showed her the puncture and offered to send it for repair. He asked Shiva to take the bike to a repair shop.
Around this time, she made the chilling last phone call to her sister. Later, they forcibly took her to a compound where she was raped, and killed after Areef caused her to suffocate, police said. The accused then allegedly burnt her body after procuring petrol from a station near Kothur.
Chevella MP Ranjith Reddy visited the family of the deceased veterinarian. A member of the National Commission for Women, along with a lawyer, has also met with the family.
With IANS inputs