Justifying ‘extra-judicial’ killings of those accused of rape, BJP MLA from Gujarat’s Dabhoi Shailesh Mehta said the state government should give police a free hand to eliminate such criminals in encounters’.
Mehta, while interacting with media persons said, “Three incidents of rape were reported from Bhayli, Surat, and Kutch, and it emerged that migrants are the accused. People are living in an atmosphere of fear and are scared of sending their daughters out. Such a situation has arisen in Gujarat for the first time.”
He said one of the three accused in the Surat gang rape case died of a heart attack due to fear of the police.
“There should be such fear of cops. It’s commendable that the cops arrested the accused in Surat and Vadodara within hours,” he said.
Mehta’s comments were sought on a group of garba revellers who displayed placards condemning sexual assaults on women and demanding strict punishment for the accused in the wake of the recent crimes.
Mehta said that although the state government had fast-tracked cases such as the Dahod six-year-old’s murder and nabbed the accused in the Vadodara gang rape within hours, “justice” should be delivered in “every way”.
Mehta said, “The morale of the police should be strengthened; they should be given a free hand to take action. This action should not be challenged. If there is an accused with a criminal mindset, who is a habitual offender and a threat to the society, why should he not be (eliminated)? Fast-tracking cases will make a difference that the process is complete and justice is delivered fast but there has to be a deterrent. Wherever justice can be granted, it should be granted in every possible way.”
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