Frankly, we too, like most Indians, are torn between two contradictory thoughts. One, feeling the sheer outrage following the rape and murder of a young working woman, and knowing how painfully slow is the delivery of justice, encounter killing of the four alleged perpetrators evokes a sense of closure, just deserts for a heinous act.
Yet, we are unable to set aside the stronger thought that the killing was a throwback to a medieval era and makes a total mockery of constitutionalism and rule of law.
On cooler reflection, we believe, every Indian, including those who showered flowers and cheered the Cyberabad Police for their dubious feat, would veer round to the second view.
For, however horrendous the crime, no one, just no one, has the right to punish the criminal without a proper and fair trial. Those applauding instant justice, e.g., encounter killings invite anarchy. Rule of law cannot be bent to popular, and momentary, passions.
It is ironic the same police force which failed to respond to the urgent pleas of the rape victim for help should now be applauded for its unlawful act. Civilised societies do not sanction their uniformed forces to break the law instead of enforcing it.
It maybe the political bosses in Telangana were under pressure to ‘do something’ after the rape and murder of the 27-year-old veterinarian made national and international headlines.
In particular, the emotional outburst of MPs cutting across party lines, with some of them demanding public hanging of the suspects might have led the political bosses to give the nod for the elimination of the four men arrested for the crime.
Whatever the reason for resorting to this Mughal version of justice, it can have no place in today’s India. We cannot but condemn it in no uncertain terms.
Honestly, given the record of the police in India we cannot even be certain whether the four executed by the police were the actual perpetrators, for so low is the credibility of the police.
Also, the fake encounter charge gets strengthened given the fact that the Cyberabad Police is led by an officer whose calling card screams Encounter Specialist. Ultimately, the blame for the lawless police and the lack of security for women even in urban public spaces lies with the political class.
It has done little to professionalise it’s working, misused it for partisan ends, and encouraged the police to act in an arbitrary manner. As we said at the outset, we are no less angry and outraged at the gruesome murder of the young Hyderabad woman, but in all conscience, cannot, will not, approve the encounter killing of the suspects.
That way lies anarchy and a slow death for a Republic based on laws rather than on raw emotions of men and women temporarily under siege of uncontrollable rage.
