Priyanka Reddy is the Indian vet who was murdered, raped and burned in the area of Hyderabad on November 26. Four men are accused of the crime. Reddy was 35 years old.
The suspects have been named as Mohammed Areef,26, truck driver who is from Jakkulare, Jollu Shiva, 20, cleaner, Jollu Naveen, 20, driver; and Chintakunta Chennakeshavulu, 20, from Gudigandla. The two drivers had been bringing a truck full of bricks to the region when they met Shiva and Chennakeshavulu. The Deccan Chronicle reports that the four men are thought to have been drunk at the time of the attack.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Police Say Reddy’s Attackers Punctured One of Her Motorcycle’s Tires
Police say that Reddy was approached by the four men after a tire on her motorcycle punctured around 9:30 p.m. at the Tondupally toll plaza of Outer Ring Road at Shamshabad on the close to Hyderabad. Authorities say the men offered to fix the tire. The Gulf News reports Reddy was on her way back from the dermatologist, following a day of work at a veterinary hospital. Reddy had taken a cab from the toll plaza, where she had parked her motorcycle. When she returned, Reddy saw that one of her tires was punctured.
At around 10:00 p.m., Reddy called her sister, Bhavya Reddy, to tell her what was going on. Her sister told Reddy to get a taxi home. After the phone call, that’s when police say the assault began. Police say the men sexually assaulted Reddy and suffocated her to death.
2. Reddy’s Body Was Found 15 Miles From Where She Was Raped
Cyberabad commissioner V.C. Sajjanar told the media that at 10:28 p.m., the suspects left the area to find somewhere to dispose of the body. Sajjanar said that body was burned around 3:00 a.m. in the area of Chattanpally, around 15 miles from where she had been raped.
Salljanar said that Reddy’s family went to the police at 11:30 p.m. and then to the area where Reddy had called from. The search for Reddy went on till 5:00 a.m.
3. The Police’s Response to Reddy’s Disappearance Is Being Criticized
The Hans India reports that there is anger in India over a perceived slowness on the part of the police. The reports say that Reddy’s family did not get a swift response when they first went to the station. The Hans report mentions that a government official has offered government jobs to members of Reddy’s family. The website later reported that the local police had made comments alleging that Reddy had eloped with someone.
Reddy’s sister was quoted by the Daily Mail as saying of the police response, “We lost a lot of time moving from one police station to another. Had the police acted without wasting time, at least my sister would have been alive.”
4. Reddy’s Mother Said She Thinks Her Daughter’s Killers Should Be Burned Alive
The Daily Mail quoted Reddy’s mother as saying that her daughter’s killers should be “burned alive.”
Women’s activist Vara Laxmi was quoted by the Gulf News as saying of Reddy’s death, “We are very shocked to hear about the doctor. This shows the absence of strict vigilance. The lorry, road transport should be given more supervision. The investigation says maybe the lorry drivers are involved in the murder of the doctor. The state should supervise the entry and exit of heavy vehicles at night”
5. Reddy’s Death Has Led to Massive Outrage in India
Some of India’s biggest names have taken to social media to express their outrage over Reddy’s death. Here are some of the passionate response to the killing that has shocked a nation:
Anger,sorrow ,shock ..how could these inhuman,unimaginable crimes against women still happen despite such strong uproar & awareness ! Do these demons have no fear of punishment or law,,Where are we going wrong & lagging behind as a system & as a society,,,#JusticeForPriyankaReddy
This has saddened me to my core. Human being inhumane. This needs to stop. This is what we know of, imagine how many cases we don’t know about. Women or men, every individual needs to be treated with basic respect. These men deserved to be punished. #JusticeForPriyankaReddy
Whether it is #PriyankaReddy in Hyderabad, #Roja in Tamil Nadu or the law student gangraped in Ranchi,we seem to be losing it as a society. It has been 7 yrs to the gut-wrenching #Nirbhaya case & our moral fabric continues to be in pieces.We need stricter laws.This needs to STOP!
I am disturbed …. to a level that I cannot share anything from the incident …. I request all my sisters out there to take help of the Police, live location apps and emergency calling options when it requires the most. My prayers for her innocent soul. #RIPPriyankaReddy
The outcome of Priyanka Reddy burned in Hyderabad yesterday. Girls are asked to stay home.
Girls need to stop classes, hobbies, whatever they may do after work just so that they don’t get raped.
If this is not screwed up, I dont know what is.
I don’t even know how to react about the #Priyankareddy incident.its high time we as a nation instill fear in people’s minds so no one dares to even think about committing a crime so horrific .. #JusticeForPriyankaReddy
What those men did to #Priyanka_Reddy is another dark reminder of how unsafe we’ve allowed our society to become by not delivering swift and telling justice in these cases..!
Heart goes out to her family in their hours of unimaginable grief.
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