Hyderabad vet could have been saved but police wasted precious time: Victim's family tells NCW
New Delhi: The Hyderabad Police played a "negative role" and "wasted precious time" which could have been used to save the life of a veterinarian who was brutally raped and murdered, her family members told the NCW on Saturday.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) had sent an inquiry committee headed by a member of the panel to look into the alleged rape and murder, which has sparked a national outrage.
The charred body of the 25-year-old veterinary doctor was found on the outskirts of Hyderabad. She was raped and killed allegedly by four men, all lorry workers. The four accused were sent to judicial custody for 14 days on Saturday.
NCW chief Rekha Sharma said the family told NCW member Shyamal S Kunder that the police played a "negative role" in the case. Kunder said the family claimed that before filing the complaint, the police even levelled allegation that "she had eloped with someone", Sharma added.
A lot of time was wasted because the police were fighting over jurisdiction that in which police station the case should be registered, Sharma claimed.
She also slammed Telangana Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali's remarks on the victim, saying such people do not deserve the position and they need to be sensitised.
Ali said had the victim called the police instead of calling her sister, "she could have been saved."
An NCW team visited the family of the veterinarian on Saturday. The family members told the team that police wasted "precious three-to-four hours" that could have been used to save her life, Sharma said.
"We are standing with the family of the victim. I will also go there (Hyderabad) and ensure police is probing the matter properly and that the matter is chargesheeted on time. We demand that the case be sent to fast-track court and justice is served at the earliest and the people responsible are hanged to death," Sharma told reporters.
The NCW, in its report, said prima facie it observed that police officials delayed taking action in this case. "Victim's family was shunted between two police stations over the issue of jurisdiction," the NCW said in the report.
"Police came into action only the next day though the victim's family had reached out to them immediately after her cellphone was found switched off," it said in the report.
The NCW further claimed that the victim's family has still not been given any protection and there is no women investigating officer in the entire team probing the case.
"Police officials claim that the CCTV footage from the toll plaza is not clear, which is strange. The lorry driver and cleaner parked their vehicle on the roadside and they consumed alcohol in the vicinity of the toll plaza but the police didn't bother inquiring the reason for either. There was no police patrol around the area," the report said.
The NCW said it has given instruction to the DCP Cyberabad to get the CCTV cameras installed and checked at various locations in the city, particularly the toll plazas.
"The women's panel asked the police officials to be vigilant and provide designated areas for trucks and heavy vehicles and not let them loiter around in the city," the report said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Three footballers of Indian origin named in squads for FIFA World Cup 2026
New Delhi: Three footballers of Indian origin have been named in preliminary or final squads for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, scheduled to be held across the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.
According to a report published by Mathrubhumi, Sarpreet Singh was included in the New Zealand national football team squad which was announced on Wednesday.
Born in Auckland to Indian parents, Singh was eligible to represent India through his family roots but chose to play for New Zealand. The 27-year-old attacking midfielder made his senior international debut in 2018 and has since become a regular member of the national side.
Singh has made 26 appearances for New Zealand and has scored three goals while providing seven assists.
Julen Lopetegui has included two players of Indian origin: Niall Mason and Tahsin Mohammed, in Qatar’s selections for the tournament.
Mason, a defender whose mother is Indian, previously trained in the youth academies of Real Madrid, Southampton FC and Aston Villa FC. Although he received his first senior call-up earlier this year, the Qatar defender is yet to make his senior international debut.
Tahsin Mohammed, 19, was born to parents from Kerala’s Kannur district. His father Jamshid is from Thalassery, while his mother Shaima belongs to Valapattanam. The winger became the first player of Indian origin to feature in the Qatar Stars League, Qatar’s premier domestic football competition.
Mohammed has made two appearances for the senior Qatar side, including in a World Cup qualifier against Afghanistan in June 2024.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be jointly hosted by United States, Mexico and Canada.
