In India, encounter killings have a long and unfortunate history, more so with the police forces in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It is, however, difficult to remember a time when the police were congratulated and celebrated with as much fervor as in the case of the recent killing of the four accused of sexually assault and murder a veterinary doctor in Hyderabad. Everyone, from politicians and sports stars to celebrities and people on the street, seems to be celebrating the shootings, even though on most days, it is these very people who complain of the corruption and inefficiencies of the police. The common justification offered by those supporting the killing of the suspected rapists is that the due process of law is complicated and takes too long. It appears that the long-accepted norms of India’s criminal justice system, which includes the right to trial in an open court, are falling out of favour with the Indian middle class. Why is this happening?