Hyderabad: Friday’s encounter killing of four persons accused of the rape and murder of the veterinarian disha took place in the agricultural fields of Samala Sathyam, a resident of Lingareddyguda, was the first person to notice Disha’s burning body under the culvert.
This time Sathyam who was at the home was informed by other villagers on Friday morning about the encounter of Mohd Arif, J. Shiva, J. Naveen, and Ch. Chennakeshavulu.
“I feel happy that the killers of the woman have been gunned down. It is said that they attacked the police and the police fired. There is a strong need for us to teach our children about personal safety and self-defense techniques,” Sathyam.
Soon after the reports of the encounter were on media, scores of people reached the spot and hailed the police. Commuters stopped on the highway and service roads leading to the agricultural fields. The fields are located just about 200 metres from the spot where Disha was burnt.
At around 5.15 am, Arif, Naveen, Shiva and Chennakeshavulu were brought to the place where Disha was burnt, to recover her belongings — mobile phone, power bank, and a wristwatch, that were hidden under the bushes nearby.
After the police recovered them, the accused tried to move away from the police. Arif and Chennakeshavulu allegedly snatched two 9 mm pistols from the police, while Shiva and Naveen picked up stones and sticks. Despite the police warning, the accused said to have hurled stones at the police and Arif and Chennakeshavulu cocked the pistols and opened several rounds of fire at the police. Though none of the police received bullet injuries, two of the 10-member team suffered bleeding injuries caused due to stone-pelting. Then the police opened fire with AK 47s and gunned down the Disha’s accused killers. Each accused had at least two bullet injuries in the 15-minute gun battle! The clues teams that inspected the scene of the encounter has found that the fire was opened from 9mm pistols and AK 47 assault rifles.
Sources said, “The scene suggests that around 20 rounds are expected to have been fired during the exchange of fire between the police party and the accused persons. However, only about eight empty shells were recovered, while the others are yet to be found.”
Each accused had at least two bullet injuries on different parts of the body, while Shiva had a bullet injury to his neck. The traces of Gun Shot Residue (GSR) were also identified in the hands of Mohammed and Chennakeshavulu.
