Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Warangal encounter

The killing of three youths, accused of throwing acid on two girls, in an alleged police encounter in Warangal has raised many questions. Why, for instance, did the police take the three young men to the scene of encounter after dark? How did the accused get access to the weapons and acid which the police allege they used to attack them when they were accompanied by a police team?

Some people and Ministers in the Andhra Pradesh government have supported the killings, which is unfortunate. No one has the right to take the law into his or her own hands.

T.S.C. Bose,

Hyderabad

The Warangal police encounter will surely set a bad precedent. If such killings find acceptance among the people, a day will come when innocent persons are gunned down without trial. Long years of trial and the possibility of lesser sentences are any day better than having a police raj.

J. Prabhakar,

Hyderabad

Whatever the nature of a crime, it is for the judiciary, not the police, to hand down punishment. It is difficult to believe that the three accused who were in police custody tried to attack them with country-made weapons and acid hidden near the stolen vehicle. It is hoped that the enquiry by the Director-General of Police will bring out the truth behind the so-called encounter.

R. Sekar,

Visakhapatnam

According to media reports, some sections hailed the killings. By appreciating such unfortunate actions by the police, we only end up encouraging them to carry out more such encounters. Even innocent people may lose their lives without being given a fair trial.

Let us not encourage such trends in a democracy. The law and order machinery should respect the judiciary.

Farid Khan,

Ghatkesar

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