Need to send a message that even thinking such things will frighten people: Singhvi on incidents of rape

Hours after the four accused in rape and murder of a veterinary doctor in Telangana were killed in an encounter, Congress leader and noted lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi has called for a collective decision to send a strong and clear message so that even thinking of committing a heinous crime frightens the people.

Hours after the four accused in rape and murder of a veterinary doctor in Telangana were killed in an encounter, Congress leader and noted lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi has called for a collective decision to send a strong and clear message so that even thinking of committing a heinous crime frightens the people. "I don't understand how we can now call ourselves a civilized country if these things keep happening. We have to rise above politics, take a collective decision and send a collective strong message, a message so unequivocal and clear that forget doing such things, even thinking such things will frighten the people," he said while speaking to ANI on Friday.

Defending his earlier tweet wherein he had stressed the need to "understand the mood and sentiments of the people sometimes in spite of all the debates and human rights logic," Singhvi said: "The meaning is quick trial and if convicted absolute punishment. What is the sentiment of the people? Of course, I do not subscribe to this sentiment that I must catch you by the neck and hang you by the tree." Earlier in a tweet, Singhvi had said, "Sometimes in spite of all the debates and #HumanRights logics, we shall understand the mood and sentiments of the people of the nation and stand with them. After all, democracy is all about 'The People'."

In another tweet later in the day, he said: "In World's largest democracy, there is nothing we cannot achieve through law. Nirbhaya case has had some delay but it has crossed all judicial hierarchies pretty quickly and is likely to be implemented shortly. Both hyd and unnao cases unlikely 2c long delay. So no need 2despair." The Congress leader held that the "true facts" about the encounter are not yet not known.

"We do not know true facts re encounter. If fake, clearly indefensible. If in self Defense, inquiry would find out. Reasonable fast track in Nirbhaya, kasab etc shd enthuse us not 2despair. No reason 2have knee jerk reactions/palm tree justice. Extreme Legal punishment likely," he tweeted. In the morning today, all the four accused in the rape and murder of a woman veterinarian in Telangana were killed in an encounter with the police.

According to police, the accused were being taken to the scene of the crime, where the charred body of the doctor was found, when they allegedly tried to escape. The accused Mohammed Arif, Naveen, Shiva, and Chennakeshavulu were killed in a police encounter at Chatanpally, Shadnagar today in the wee hours, between 3 am and 6 am.

The four accused were arrested and were in judicial custody and lodged in high-security cells at Cherlapally Central Jail in Hyderabad. (ANI)

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