The entire nation woke up to a big development that mellowed down the anger and fire in many, as the Hyderabad police today gunned down all four accused of the barbaric rape and murder of veterinary doctor Priyanka Reddy.

Addressing the media today evening, the Telangana Police, who have received mixed reaction following the re-dawn encounter, said its personnel resorted to “retaliatory” firing after two of the accused opened fire at them after snatching weapons this morning.

“We had to fire in retaliation after the accused started hitting us with stones and sharp objects and snatched our weapons,” said the police chief, adding that the police had been restrained and had repeatedly asked the accused to surrender.

Cyberabad Police Commissioner CV Sajjanar added that one of the accused, Mohammed Arif, was the first to open fire, even as the police team that took them to the crime scene were attacked with stones and sticks.

Law has done its duty, Sajjanar said after authenticity over police action is being questioned.

The Centre has sought a report from Telangana government over “custodial killing” of Telangana veterinarian’s alleged rapists, sources said.

Amid questions being raised on circumstances surrounding the encounter deaths on Friday morning of the four accused in the gangrape and murder case of the 26-year-old veterinarian in Hyderabad, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has struck a note of caution.

While the development is being celebrated nationwide, Congress leader and Lok Sabha member Shashi Tharoor said extra-judicial killings were not acceptable.

“Agree in principle. We need to know more, for instance if the criminals were armed, the police may have been justified in opening fire preemptively. Until details emerge we should not rush to condemn. But extra-judicial killings are otherwise unacceptable in a society of laws,” Shashi Tharoor tweeted.

Around 1.45 pm, more than eight hours after the four were killed in the alleged encounter, the police had allowed the media to see the spot, which was barely 500 metres from the place where the charred body of the 26-year-old vet was found last week.