Police action against acid attack accused fuels controversy

Warangal, Dec 13 (PTI) In an action that has created a
huge controversy, police have gunned down three youths who had
allegedly thrown acid on two engineering girl students here in
southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, claiming that the
three had attacked the police party.

The main suspect Srinivas and accomplice Sanjay and
Harikrishna were shot dead when they allegedly attacked the
police party which went to recover a motor cycle used by them
in the incident at Mavunoor last night, Superintendent of
Police (SP) Warangal V L Sajjanar said.

"They (accused) tried to spray the acid and the weapons
and the knives. And so our people reacted and the three
accused were killed. Definitely they had criminal intention to
harm us," said Sajjanar.

The police action immediately attracted adverse comments
with a civil rights lawyer questioning the gunning down of the
accused.

"It is spine-chilling. A system that loses faith in the
judicial system and in the rule of law is complete anarchy. We
are heading towards chaos," said civil rights lawyer L
Ravichander.

Referring to a media headline which said justice had been
done, she said "do they understand what kind of lack of safety
they are heading towards when they permit the police to decide
to become justice administrators?"

The police action comes in the wake of a huge public
outcry over an acid attack on two engineering girl students on
Wednesday.

One of the girls, Swapnika, is battling for life after
the attack by a jilted lover in Warangal.

The condition of Swapnika, who is undergoing treatment,
remains critical with doctors saying she will be under close
observation for the next 48 hours. The other girl Pranitha, is
however, recovering.

Friday, Andhra Pradesh Home Minister K Jana Reddy was
gheraoed by angry activists of women organisations when he
visited the private hospital where Swapnika, a final year
B.Tech student and Pranitha are undergoing treatment.

Stung by the protests, Reddy announced suspension of the
police officials on the charge of failing to take prompt
action on the complaint of Swapnika's father about her
harassment by Srinivas. PTI RAO
NIK