Hyderabad encounter: For and against posts flood social media
New Delhi: The 'encounter' killing of the four men accused in the rape and murder of a woman veterinarian in Hyderabad touched a deep chord on Friday with 400,000 tweets and counting in just a few hours, some cheering and others concerned at what they saw as one more instance of vigilantism.
The deep schisms on the incident were reflected on Twitter and other social media sites as thousands of people aired their views, many recalling that Cyberabad Commissioner V C Sajjanar, who carried out the "encounter" was involved in a similar incident in 2008.
Hashtags like #justiceforDisha, #encounter, and #Hyderabadhorror started trending on Twitter from early on Friday. Many people took to the microblogging site to thank and celebrate the police officer for "delivering justice" for a second time.
In 2008, when Sajjanar was the superintendent of police in Warangal, he had shot dead three young men a day after their arrest in an acid attack case.
"2008: Warangal Acid attack perpetrators killed in an #Encounter. 2019: Hyderabad #DishaCase perpetrators killed in an #Encounter. Name: VC Sajjanar. Job: Delivering Justice, one bullet at a time. #JusticeForDisha," tweeted one user.
"Remembering the encounter of Warangal Acid case accused in this context. Now after 4 accused in #Justicefordisha have been shot dead , salute to the man behind this prevention of escape IPS VC sajjanar. #Thankyousajjanar," wrote another.
Friday's "encounter" took place in the early hours of Friday when the four men were taken to the scene of the crime near Hyderabad for a reconstruction of events as part of the investigation.
According to a senior police official, the accused snatched weapons from police and fired on them and then tried to flee. The police fired back in retaliation, resulting in their deaths, he said.
The four men were arrested on November 29 for allegedly raping and killing the woman by smothering her and later burning her body.
The hashtag #humanrights also started catching on with as more than 20,000 tweets till late afternoon, as more and more people argued that human rights are not meant for rapists.
"When terrorists and Maoists were encountered without any court trial then why rapists be left ..#EncounterNirbhaya rapists who were fed like pigs in Tihar jail since 7 years should also be encountered like mad dogs in the streets of Delhi.#humanrights only for humans not brutes," one user wrote.
Another tweeted, "#HumanRights are only for humans not Monsters. Rapiest = Monsters They only deserve #Encounter."
In the chorus, there were some who made themselves heard with their criticism of the police action.
Lawyer-activist Vrinda Grover called the killing of the accused "absolutely unacceptable", and added that the act only added to the state's "arsenal of unlimited arbitrary violence!" in the name of equality for women.
"SAY NO TO TRIGGER TRACK INJUSTICE! This is absolutely unacceptable. So all that the state will do in the name of ensuring that women live as equal and free citizens is to add to its arsenal of unlimited arbitrary violence!
"Supreme Court of India has directed that in every encounter case - There must be an FIR registered against the police and an investigation; and an independent judicial enquiry into this 'encounter'. No Investigation, no Prosecution, these killings distract the public and save the police and state from any accountability. NO POLICE 'ENCOUNTER' IN THE NAME OF WOMEN," she wrote on Facebook.
Women's rights activist Kavita Krishnan shared All India Progressive Women's Association's (AIPWA) statement on "Hyderabad Fake Encounter: No Custodial Killing In Our Name" on both Twitter and Facebook.
According to the statement, the "encounter" had "all the hallmarks of a custodial murder, dressed up to look like an encounter".
"We, as a country, will now be told that "justice" has been done, the victim avenged... But this justice is counterfeit.
"A system that offers murder as "justice" is a system that is telling women - we can't ensure the streets are safe, can't investigate crimes against women to ensure there's enough evidence to prove guilt, can't protect rape survivors (one was burnt alive yesterday in UP), can't ensure that survivors get dignity in Court," it read.
Supreme Court lawyer Karuna Nundy asked if the four men were innocent and if so what happens to the actual culprits.
"Now nobody will ever know if the four men killed by the police were innocent men, arrested fast to show action. And whether four of the most brutal rapists roam free, to rape and kill more women. #EncounterNight #Encounter," she wrote.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
