Days after the brutal rape and murder of a young doctor in the southern city of Hyderabad shocked the conscience of India, the rapists were shot dead in an encounter on Friday morning. Ordinary Indians then took to social media expressing unbridled joy over the quick dispensation of justice in a country known for the slow and tardy legal process that gets often nowhere.
The killing of the young woman last week was one of the most dastardly of the increasing number of crimes committed against women in the country. The 26-year old, while travelling on duty, parked her two-wheeler on the highway as dusk was falling. By the time she returned two hours later to pick up her motorbike, the assailants were waiting to carry out a perfectly planned crime.
The four men, aged between 20 and 26, had deflated the tires of her scooter and offered to help her find a tyre repair shop. By the time the woman realised the trap and called up her sister saying she was in danger, it was too late. The rapists, a truck driver and cleaners, dragged her into the desolate brushwood patch near the motorway and raped her taking turns. They then strangled her to death and dumped her in their lorry. The criminals roamed around the night, bought petrol from a fuel station some distance away and finally burned her body under a culvert.
Though India had seen massive protests and vigils in the wake of the brutal rape and murder of a girl in capital New Delhi in 2012, horrible crimes against women have kept happening across the country. The accused in the 2012 Nirbhaya rape were handed the death penalty but the sentence has not yet been carried out.
When the news of the enounter killing that eliminiated the criminals days after the gruesome murder emerged, Indian did not shy away ffom expoerssing raw happiness over quick justice. Here are some of the tweets:
"First time I'm seeing death sentence for rape accused in India!! (May b also occurred b4 but today first time hearing this) Kudos to Hyderabad police."
"All four accused of Hyderabad rape case kiIIed in police encounter. I feel relieved and now please don't criticise Yogi ji who has shown us the way how to deal with criminals."
"Four accused in Hyderabad rape case killed in encounter...this the sort of justice we need..atleast this will instill fear in the minds of criminals. Right n timely decision by Hyderabad police."
"Well done hyderabad police good initiative against rape crimes each and every state police should follow the same way no fir seedha encounter."
"There can't be a better beginning to the day. All 4 accused of Hyderabad Rape case killed in an encounter by Police. Awaiting same fate for Unnav accused too."
"It's a great start to the day. All the Hyderabad rape case accused killed in an encounter. #Telangana #telangandgp"
"All the four accused of Brutal Hyderabad Rape Case has been shot dead by the police in an encounter
Big Big Thanks to Telangana Police
Salute
"First time I'm seeing death sentence for rape accused in India!! (May b also occurred b4 but today first time hearing this) Kudos to Hyderabad police "
