Telugu stars cheer on police for reported encounter of accused in Hyderabad vet rape

Encounter

While the deaths have been questioned by many, most Tollywood actors and filmmakers appreciated the police for the killings.

Soon after the reported police encounter of the four accused in the Hyderabad vet’s gangrape and murder case came to light, many people took to social media to express their views on the incident. Among those to react to the news were Tollywood celebrities, who also took to social media. Many actors and directors expressed their approval and support for the police, saying that the killings of the four accused, Areef, Shiva, Naveen and Chennakeshavulu, have served justice to Disha (name changed) and her family.  
“JUSTICE SERVED! Now, Rest In Peace Disha,” wrote actor Jr NTR. 

JUSTICE SERVED! Now, Rest In Peace Disha.
— Jr NTR (@tarak9999) December 6, 2019

The plot of Jr NTR’s 2015 film Temper revolved around a case of a gangrape and murder, where Jr NTR plays a cop who ensures that the four men who committed the crime are sentenced to death.  During the public outcry following the gangrape and murder of the 26-year old veterinarian Disha, scenes from the film were widely shared on WhatsApp and social media platforms, demanding justice for Disha by killing the accused. The actor’s tweet also received several replies with visuals from the film. 
Akkineni Nagarjuna also tweeted that the deaths had served justice to Disha. 
“This morning I wake up to the news and JUSTICE HAS BEEN SERVED!! #Encounter,” tweeted actor Nagarjuna Akkineni. 

This morning I wake up to the news and JUSTICE HAS BEEN SERVED!! #Encounter
— Nagarjuna Akkineni (@iamnagarjuna) December 6, 2019

Samantha Akkineni, his daughter-in-law, too was happy with the reported encounter. 
“I (heart emoji) TELANGANA. Fear is a great solution and sometimes the only solution,” she said on the microblogging site. 

I ❤️ TELANGANA . Fear is a great solution and sometimes the only solution .
— Samantha Akkineni (@Samanthaprabhu2) December 6, 2019

Rashmika Mandanna also tweeted that justice was served through their deaths. 
“I hope your soul now rest in peace #priyankareddy. For all the good you did in this world – justice is served- god’s always watching. #Encounter #RIPPriyankReddy,” Rashmika wrote.  

I hope your soul now rest in peace #priyankareddy. For all the good you did in this world – justice is served- god’s always watching. #Encounter #RIPPriyankReddy
— Rashmika Mandanna (@iamRashmika) December 6, 2019

Actor, producer and television host Lakshmi Manchi thanked the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar, and his son and Minister KT Rama Rao and daughter and former MP Kalvakuntla Kavitha for setting ‘an example to our nation’. 
“I do NOT feel bad. I was always against capital punishment but I’ve changed my mind over the years. Rapists MUST hang! Thank you kcr garu for standing as an example to our nation and showing respect to women! @RaoKavitha @KTRTRS,” tweeted actor Lakshmi Manchu. 

I do NOT feel bad. I was always against capital punishment but I’ve changed my mind over the years. Rapists MUST hang! Thank you kcr garu for standing as an example to our nation and showing respect to women! @RaoKavitha @KTRTRS pic.twitter.com/DdXrDmyzSJ
— Lakshmi Manchu (@LakshmiManchu) December 6, 2019

Rakulpreet Singh, who also thanked Telangana police, tweeted, “How far can you run away after committing a crime like Rape .. #JusticeForPriyankaReddy #Encounter thankyou #Telangana  police”

How far can you run away after committing a crime like Rape .. #JusticeForPriyankaReddy #Encounter thankyou #Telangana police
— Rakul Singh (@Rakulpreet) December 6, 2019

Actor Nandamuri Kalyan Ram also congratulated the police for the killings. 
“Nothing can erase the pain of the grieving family! But, this will hopefully bring some closure. Justice has been served. Rest in Peace Disha! Kudos to @hydcitypolice @cyberabadpolice,” wrote actor Nandamuri Kalyan Ram on Twitter. 

Nothing can erase the pain of the grieving family! But, this will hopefully bring some closure. Justice has been served. Rest in Peace Disha! Kudos to @hydcitypolice @cyberabadpolice
— Kalyanram Nandamuri (@NANDAMURIKALYAN) December 6, 2019

Director Puri Jagannadh, who made the film Temper, tweeted, “Salute Telangana. I join my hands in front of the police department. You are the real heroes. I always believe one thing. Whenever we are in trouble, it is the police who come to our aid. Even if we pray to god seeking help, god sends a police officer. 

SALUTE Telangana పోలీస్ డిపార్టుమెంటుకి చేతులెత్తి మొక్కుతున్నాను you are the real heros .I always believe one thing మనకి కస్టమొచ్చిన కన్నీళ్లొచ్చినా పోలీసోడే వస్తాడు . నువ్వే దిక్కు రక్షించాలని దేవుడికి మొక్కినా ఆ దేవుడు కూడా పంపించేది పోలీసోడినే @TelanganaDGP @KTRTRS
— PURIJAGAN (@purijagan) December 6, 2019

Actor Nani tweeted, “Every town must have only one rowdy, and that rowdy must be a police officer.”

ఊరికి ఒక్కడే రౌడీ ఉండాలి
వాడు పోలీసోడు అయ్యుండాలి#Disha
— Nani (@NameisNani) December 6, 2019

Ravi Teja called the killings a starting point to preventing such crimes. “Serving justice to #Disha doesn’t stop here but starts from here by preventing such heinous crimes through education, empowerment and enlightenment from childhood. JaiHind. Now Rest in Peace Disha,” he tweeted. 

Serving justice to #Disha doesn’t stop here but starts from here by preventing such heinous crimes through education, empowerment and enlightenment from childhood. JaiHind. Now Rest in Peace Disha.
— Ravi Teja (@RaviTeja_offl) December 6, 2019

Actor Rahul Ramakrishna, however, said that the deaths are not a form of justice but an act to merely deal with public anger. “That wasn’t justice. That was a safety valve set in place to diffuse unmanageable public anger. Actual justice comes from enforcing laws that seek to prevent crime from happening,” he wrote. 

That wasn’t justice. That was a safety valve set in place to diffuse unmanageable public anger. Actual justice comes from enforcing laws that seek to prevent crime from happening.
— Rahul Ramakrishna (@eyrahul) December 6, 2019

“This is a good time to note how brazen the police force has become with no regard for the law of this land. Also a good time to understand how the Constitution of India holds very little value among its own citizens,” he added. 
Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma also questioned the encounters, advocating for due process of the law. 
“With regard to encounter killings ,the fundamental foundation of any society is to control emotional outbursts and apply rationality in a due process of the rule of law ..so encounters cannot be justified under any circumstances,” Ram Gopal Varma tweeted. 

With regard to encounter killings ,the fundamental foundation of any society is to control emotional outbursts and apply rationality in a due process of the rule of law ..so encounters cannot be justified under any circumstances
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) December 6, 2019

The point of a criminal justice system in any civilised society is that police will arrest,investigate and furnish evidence to the judiciary which will study the veracity of the facts and then decide on the quantum of punishment .
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) December 6, 2019

On a similar vein, many people have questioned the extra-judicial killings, with legal experts saying that an immediate probe must be conducted into the reported encounter as per law, since the deaths occurred in police custody. 
The four accused Areef, Shiva, Naveen and Chennakeshavulu were taken to the spot on Friday morning to recreate the scene for collection of evidence. Police claim the accused attempted to escape by taking the guns of the policemen who accompanied them, and were subsequently shot in an encounter.