All 4 accused of Hyderabad rape-murder case killed in encounter

Four men arrested in connection with a rape-and-murder case of a woman veterinarian near Hyderabad, an incident that sparked an outrage across India, were killed in an encounter with law enforcers this morning, police said.

"The four accused were killed in an encounter with police," Cyberabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar said.

Two policemen were also injured in the incident, our New Delhi correspondent reports quoting a senior police official.

Police claimed the four arrestees tried to escape during investigations at the same spot where the woman's body was found.

The four men, Mohammed Arif (26), Jollu Shiva (20), Jollu Naveen (20) and Chintakunta Chennakeshavulu (20), were taken to the scene of the crime at 3:00am Indian time for a reconstruction as part of investigations, the police said.

They were on the spot where the charred body of the woman was found, around 60 kilometres from Hyderabad, according to the police.

When one of the accused signaled to the others, possibly to escape, they tried to snatch weapons from the law enforcers and attacked them, a senior police officer said adding the police then fired at the men.

The four suspects, who were arrested a day after the crime, were in police custody since Wednesday.

The 26-year-old woman was raped, killed and then set on fire on November 27 by four men at a toll booth near Hyderabad, police had said. Her body, badly burnt, was found the next day, 60 km from Hyderabad.