Daijiworld Media Network – Nizamabad

Nizamabad, Oct 21: Sheik Riyaz, a man accused of fatally stabbing police constable E Pramod, was shot dead by police personnel inside the Government General Hospital (GGH) in Nizamabad on Monday after allegedly attempting to snatch a gun from them.

Riyaz had been admitted to the hospital following minor injuries sustained during a clash with a civilian, identified as Asif, who had helped police apprehend him on Sunday. Asif was also stabbed by Riyaz during the incident.

Telangana Director General of Police Shivadhar Reddy stated that the police opened fire to protect hospital staff, including doctors and nurses, after Riyaz tried to seize a constable’s weapon. “The accused, who had already murdered a constable and injured others, had managed to get hold of a gun at the hospital. There could have been a bloodbath had the police not intervened,” the DGP’s office said.

Riyaz, with a significant criminal history, was arrested on Sunday after a “widespread net” by police. Nizamabad Commissioner of Police P Sai Chaitanya confirmed that an inquest and postmortem would be conducted according to protocol. “A case has been registered and an inquiry into the encounter is ongoing,” he said.

The incident echoes previous high-profile encounters in Telangana, including the 2019 police killing of four men accused of raping and murdering a veterinarian in Hyderabad, which was later investigated by a Supreme Court-appointed commission.