Jana Sena Party (JSP) chief and popular film actor Pawan Kalyan has said the accused in Disha case should be beaten up with canes until their skin rips off, but not be hanged.
Speaking at the meeting of party workers here on Tuesday, Kalyan said: "When the four rapists of Disha were being sent to jail in Hyderabad, thousands of people reached there and demanded to lynch the culprits or hang them to death."
"In another case in Delhi, a judge of the High Court or the Supreme Court told that the private parts of the culprits should be chopped off. Even the judge's anger has peaked," he said.
"What I would like to say ... If a woman goes out and comes home by evening, and if something happens to her, the person responsible for it should be given two smacks with a cane in front of everyone till his skin rips off ... We should remember that we don't have the right to kill a person," he added.
However, Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Mekathoti Sucharita said that Kalyan's statement on the punishment to Disha case culprits is not correct. "Will the crimes be controlled with mere canning of the culprits," she asked.
"How come Pawan Kalyan speaks so when the entire nation is demanding to hang the culprits in case of brutal rape and murder of Disha? Pawan Kalyan should speak with some responsibility," she added.
The Home Minister further said that the state government will soon bring an ordinance for the women's safety.
A woman veterinarian was allegedly gang-raped and killed by four persons before they burnt her body in the outskirts of Shadnagar town in Telangana's Ranga Reddy district on the intervening night of November 27.
Police on November 29 arrested the four accused involved in the alleged rape and murder case.
( With inputs from ANI )