NHRC carries out its probe amid protests

HYDERABAD: An investigative committee of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Sunday continued its inquiry for the second day into the alleged encounter in which all four accused in the rape and murder of a young veterinarian were shot dead by police.

The family members of the accused were brought to the city from Narayanpet district and the NHRC team, as part of its inquiry, is likely to record their statements, police sources said.

“The NHRC team is continuing its inquiry,” a senior police official said.

Meanwhile, neighbours of the veterinarian’s staged a protest here against the NHRC for probing the killing of her gangrape and murder accused.

Speaking to news agency ANI, a protester said that the NHRC did not mince a word on the brutal gang rape and murder of the woman but became pro-active after the police encounter. “NHRC people woke up at eleventh hour, that too after the accused were killed in a police encounter...Are human rights for accused only and not for the common man?” he questioned.

On Saturday, the seven-member NHRC team, which included three forensic experts, had visited the site where the four accused were shot dead early Friday morning, after they allegedly attacked the police. The team had also visited the mortuary at a state-run hospital in Mahabubnagar district, where the bodies of the four accused have been kept after post-mortem examination.

The post-mortem examination had been performed at the Government District Hospital in Mahabubnagar district and videographed. The team had also questioned doctors who conducted the autopsy on the bodies of four rape accused.

Meanwhile, the Telangana high court which had on Friday directed the state government to preserve the bodies of four accused till 8 PM on December 9 will take up the matter for hearing on Monday.

The four men were arrested on November 29 for allegedly raping and killing the 26-yearold woman veterinarian by smothering her and burning the body.