Accused snatched weapons and attacked police party, got killed in retaliatory firing, says Cyberabad CP

Detailing the sequence of events that led to the encounter of all the four accused in the brutal gang-rape and murder case of woman veterinary doctor, Cyberabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar said here on Friday that the accused were killed in a 'retaliatory' action by the cops after they started attacking the police with stones, sticks, and other materials while they also snatched the weapons of two police personnel and opened fire on them.

"Today, the police took the accused to the crime spot as a part of the investigation. All the four accused got together and they started attacking the police party with stones, sticks, and other materials and also snatched away weapons from two of our officers and started firing," said Sajjanar at a press conference.

According to the Commissioner of Police (CP), the police officials maintained restraint and asked them to surrender but the accused continued firing on the police, after which the police fired in retaliation killing the accused.

"Even though our officers maintained restraint and asked them to surrender, they continued to fire and attack us. In the retaliatory firing, all the four accused got killed. When we examined after the lull, all bodies have bullet injuries," said the top cop of Cyberabad.

"Two of our officers have also got head and other grievous injuries while two accused were found with weapons snatched away from the police officials," he added. "The ASI and the Police Constable who were injured have been sent to the local hospital for treatment," added Sajjanar.

The bodies of the accused have been shifted to a local government hospital for their post-mortem examination, he told.

"There were around 10 police with the accused persons during the time of encounter. We have recovered the victim's cell phone from the spot," he said.

The accused Mohammed Arif, Naveen, Shiva, and Chennakeshavulu were killed in the police encounter at Chatanpally, Shadnagar, today in the wee hours.

The veterinarian was brutally raped and killed by the accused, who burnt her body in Shamshabad area on November 27. Her charred body was recovered on November 28.