We're struggling to protect human rights: Former CJI RM Lodha on Hyd encounter

Former Chief Justice of India Justice RM Lodha condemned the alleged encounter killing of four accused by police in the Hyderabad rape and murder case. He was speaking at an event organised by the International Institute of Human Rights Society to celebrate Human Rights Day.

New Delhi:Former Chief Justice of India R M Lodha on Tuesday has strongly criticised the alleged encounter killing of four accused by police in the Hyderabad rape and murder case.

While addressing an event organised by the International Institute of Human Rights Society to celebrate Human Rights Day, he said, “As we celebrate Human Rights day we’re struggling to protect human rights. The killing of the accused in the Hyderabad rape case, rapes and murders that are happening every day, these reflect that deep malice is creeping in our society. Are we heading towards lawlessness?”

He further said that the people are going back to the seventeenth century Hammurabi's code, eye for an eye, tooth for tooth, nail for nail.

"Call for the lynching of rapists reminds us that society is going back to the days of code of Hammurabi. If there is no rule of law, and no procedural due process, how would human rights survive?" he added.

Former CJI's comment came even as the Telangana High Court is mulling over two petitions against the police killing the accused following the rape and murder of a veterinarian doctor near Hyderabad.

According to the Telangana police, all the four accused were killed in an encounter at Chatanpally, Shadnagar, early morning on Friday.

The veterinarian was brutally raped, killed and burnt by the accused in Shamshabad area on November 27. Her charred body was recovered on November 28.

Also, read: Justice must never take the form of revenge: CJI