‘Culprits Must Get Harshest Punishment’: Leaders on Hyd Vet Murder

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari told The Quint that he feels that the culprits should be hanged in the road.

The woman, who made a call to her sister at 9:22 pm, spoke for 6 minutes – asking her to stay on the line.

(Photo: Erum Gour/The Quint)

As the nation reels from the shock after a veterinary doctor was allegedly raped and her body set ablaze by four men in Hyderabad, leaders from across the political spectrum have expressed anguish and demanded stringent action against the accused.

Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India, in an exclusive event organised by The Quint on road safety on Monday, 3 December, also spoke about the tragic incident.

“I was not in the favour of capital punishment but after Hyderabad incident I feel that the culprits should be hanged in the road,” said Gadkari.

Speaking at the same event, in an indirect reference to the rape-murder, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor pointed out that people were “standing around and saying lynch the people (accused).”

“What is more important is to prevent the rapes in the first place,” Tharoor said.

The victim’s charred body was found on Thursday, 28 November, near an underpass, about 50 km from Hyderabad city.

The police on Friday, 29 November, arrested four people who were earlier detained in connection to the murder.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday expressed shock and said such “terrible, unprovoked violence” is beyond imagination.

Telangana Minister KT Rama Rao expressed confidence that the police will deliver justice at the earliest. “I will personally monitor the case too. Anyone in distress, please dial 100,” he added.

Telugu Desam Party President N Chandrababu Naidu expressed anguish over the brutal murder and said the perpetrators “have no right to remain in civil society.”

“Beyond stringent punishments & better surveillance, we must ensure that boys grow up respecting women as equals. There must be gender empowerment & sex education at every level of learning, be it at home or at school. Every individual must take initiative to lead this change (sic),” he added.

‘Culprits Must Face Harshest of Punishment Under Law’

NCP leader Supriya Sule expressed her condolences and said the culprits must “face the harshest of punishment under the law.”

Deputy chief minister of Rajasthan Sachin Pilot said, “Stringent action should be taken against the culprits, my condolences to her family and loved ones.”