NHRC begins probe into Telangana encounter, PIL in SC seeks action against police

Beginning its 'fact-finding' probe, a seven-member NHRC team on Saturday visited the site where the four men arrested on charge of gangrape-murder of a veterinarian were shot dead in an alleged encounter, while a PIL was filed in the Supreme Court seeking an SIT investigation monitored by its former judges into the killings and action against the police.

A day after the pre-dawn 'encounter', Telangana police said that the four accused killed by it in "retaliatory firing" have been booked for "attacking" the cops who had accompanied them.

Amid a raging debate on police action, the widow of one of the accused squatted on a road along with some others at her village in Narayanpet district, alleging that injustice has been done to her.

"How many are there in jail for having made mistakes...they should also be shot dead.... We will not bury the bodies till then," said Renuka, the pregnant wife of Chennakeshavulu who was killed by the police in the alleged encounter on Friday.

The team from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), including a forensic medicine expert, began its probe by examining the bodies. It also visited Chattanpalli village, about 50 kms from here, the spot where the charred remains of the woman were found beneath a culvert on November 28, and also the encounter site nearby.

"They visited the scene of the crime and are in the process of investigation," DCP (Shamshabad Zone) N Prakash Reddy told reporters.

Officials said the team examined the bodies of the accused kept at a mortuary at a government hospital at Mahabubnagar. An expert who is part of the team that conducted the autopsy said the NHRC team checked whether the post-mortem was conducted as per protocol, among others.

He said the post-mortem report would be prepared in two days.

A Public Interest Litigation was filed by advocate M L Sharma on Saturday in the Supreme Court seeking an SIT probe, monitored by former apex court judges, into the alleged encounter and compensation of Rs 20 lakh each for the families.

It sought prosecution of policemen involved in the alleged "extra-judicial killings".

"The incident is a clear violation of Article 21 (right to life and fair trial) of the Constitution of India. A persons is innocent till guilt is proved.

"However, in the present case, four persons have been declared guilty of gangrape without any trial...," the plea said.

The PIL, which may come up for hearing next week, also seeks action against Samajwadi Party lawmaker and Bollywood actress Jaya Bachhan and Chairperson of Delhi Commission for Women Swati Maliwal for alleged "provocation" and "pressuring police for extrajudicial killing of arrested persons in police custody without trial."