New Delhi, Dec 6 BJP leader and former Union Minister Maneka Gandhi on Friday condemned the killing of four rapists in Hyderabad in an alleged encounter and said no one has the powers to take law into their own hands. “Aap kanoon ko apne haath mein nahi ley sakte (You cannot take law in your hands),” Ms Gandhi told reporters outside Parliament.
She said, “Whatever happened (in the name of police encounter when the accused tried to flee) is not good and dangerous. Even otherwise they accused would have been hanged by court anyhow”. The BJP lawmaker said: “If you are going to shoot them before due process of law has been followed, then what’s the point of having courts, law and police?”
However, New Delhi MP Meenakshi Lekhi speaking on the issue in the Lok Sabha during Zero Hour justified the encounter saying when the police are given ‘weapons’ and the wrongdoers try to flee, the cops would have to act. Earlier, outside Parliament, Lekhi said the police action in Hyderabad would work as a deterrent for future rapists.
Another BJP leader Kapil Mishra justified the police actions and tweeted in the morning hours: “Thank you Hyderabad Police. This is the way to deal with rapists. Hope police of other states will learn from you”. Former Delhi Minister Mishra represented Karawal Nagar assembly constituency on AAP ticket but joined BJP later.
All four accused arrested in connection with the rape-and-murder of a 26-year-old veterinarian in Hyderabad last month were killed in an alleged encounter with the police. The incident happened when the four accused were brought to the crime scene for recreation of the crime and tried to flee.
