Priyanka Reddy murder and Hyderabad encounter: Police suspect men in vet's horrific rape murder were involved in similar crimes across 3 states

Hyderabad: The four accused involved the brutal gang-rape and murder of woman veterinary doctor, who were killed in an encounter with Telangana police early morning today, were involved in similar crimes across Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, suspect Police.

"We have done DNA profiling of the victim and of all the accused and have collected scientific data and evidence. Further, we are collecting data from Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh about the missing and burnt bodies of women. Once the data comes we will analyze it about their involvement. We suspect that the accused were involved in other such cases across these states," said Cyberabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar while addressing a press conference here.

Cyberabad Police on Friday said that they had recovered the murdered veterinarian's mobile phone, power bank and watch from the crime scene.

The police's statement comes after the four accused - who were arrested for raping and burning the medico on November 27 in the Shamshabad area - were killed in an encounter earlier today.

Detailing the sequence of events that led to the encounter of all the four accused, he said 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.

"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 .

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.

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

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

Law has done its duty: Cyberabad Police Commissioner

Hyderabad: Law has done its duty, said Cyberabad Police Commissioner V. C. Sajjanar on Friday after police killed. in an alleged exchange of fire. all four accused in a woman veterinarian's gang-rape and murder case.

Addressing a news conference near the scene of the "encounter" at Chatanpally on the outskirts of Shadnagar town, the officer said the police had to return fire after the accused snatched weapons from them and opened fire on them.

The "encounter" occurred around 6 a.m. when a 10-member police had taken the accused to recover mobile phone and other items of the victim which they had hide there after setting afire the victim's body on the intervening night of November 27-28.

The police chief claimed that the accused, who were not handcuffed, attacked police with stones, sticks and other sharp objects. He said two of them even snatched weapons and opened fire. "As they did not surrender despite the warning, the police had to open retaliatory fire. Later, all four were found dead with bullet injuries," he said.

The police official said two policemen were also injured in the attack by the accused. However, these are not bullet injuries.

"Law has done its duty. That's all I can say," he said when asked to comment on the criticism from some quarters that the police took law in its hand by killing the accused.

He also refused comment when asked about the killing of three accused arrested for an acid attack on two girl students in 2008 when he was the Superintendent of Police of Warangal district.

"We will give reports to all concerned," Sajjanar said when asked about Union Home Ministry and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) seeking reports on Friday's encounter.

Stating that the accused were hardcore criminals, he said the police suspect their involvement in similar crimes. "We are collecting data about the cases of missing women and charred bodies found in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka," he said.

The Police Commissioner said the veterinarian was kidnapped and sexually assaulted near Tondupally toll plaza on Outer Ring Road on the outskirts of Hyderabad. They later took the body to Chatanpally near Shadnagar and burnt it.

"We started the investigation with no evidence but collected human intelligence and lot of scientific evidence and arrested the accused," he said.

The accused were produced before executive magistrate on November 30 and they were remanded to judicial custody. All the accused were sent to Cherlapally Jail.

He revealed that a court on December 2 sent the accused to 10-day police custody and that the police interrogated them on December 4 and 5. "Basing on their confession that they hid the cell phone, watch and power bank of the victim near Chatanpally, they were brought here early Friday to recover the same."

The police chief said they had lot of investigations during last four days including DNA profiling of the victim and the accused.

Brother pround of police commissioner

Dr NC Sajjan, the brother of Cyberabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar, who was involved in an encounter where the police shot dead four accused in the rape and murder of a woman veterinarian, stated on Friday that the people of his native land were very proud of Sajjanar.

Speaking to the media, NC Sajjan said: "I do not want to comment on today's act. I just want to say that he is a sincere and dedicated officer. He has been an activist since his college days, and he was even the General Secretary of his college."

Soft-spoken and disciplined

He further stated that Sajjanar was a soft-spoken and disciplined individual, and visited his home often.

"He did his schooling from Life's school, and later completed his PUC and MBA from Jagadguru Gangadhar Commerce College and later cleared his UPSC. He began his career as the Deputy Superintendent of police in Pulivendula, Andhra Pradesh, and now he is the Commissioner of Police in Cyberabad." He said.

According to the police, all the four accused were being taken to the scene of the crime, where the charred body of the doctor was found, when they allegedly attempted 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," Sajjanar had informed earlier in the day.

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

DCP Shamshabad Prakash Reddy said, "Cyberabad Police had brought the accused persons to the crime spot for re-construction of the sequence of events. The accused snatched weapons and fired on police. The police fired back in self defence, in which the accused were killed."

Police said that the veterinarian was brutally raped and killed by the accused who burned her body in the Shamshabad area on November 27. Her charred body was recovered on November 28.