Hyderabad: The encounter killing of 20 woodcutters, mostly coolies, in Seshachalam forest, the hill range consisting of the sacred Seven Hills of Tirumala, near Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday morning has snowballed into an inter-state political controversy. Even the National Human Rights Commission has issued notices to the Andhra Pradesh government on this issue.
The "triumphant" officials of the state suddenly found themselves in an awkward situation after an avalanche of criticism followed quickly from multiple quarters on the encounter and the Tamil Nadu Government demanded an impartial inquiry. The blood-soaked foothill of the temporal abode of Lord Venkateswara is located at Eethagunta and Cheekateegalakona in Chandragiri, the native mandal of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
Police personnel and officials after an encounter with red sanders smugglers in Seshachalam forest near Srivari Mettu in Chittoor district on Tuesday. PTI
The encounter occurred when a special police party was conducting combing operations in the forest. The redsanders ‘smugglers’ allegedly attacked them with stones. The police retaliated by opening fire, killing 20 of them.
A majority of the 20 coolies, purportedly hired by redsanders smugglers, killed by Redsanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force belonged to Tamil Nadu. This has angered political parties in Tamil Nadu, even as activist VS Krishna and others too have raised doubts over the encounter, describing it as fake.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Pannerselvan demanded a “credible and speedy” inquiry into the encounter killings so that the truth would be established and responsibility for “possible human rights violation” fixed. He expressed his dismay and “distress” to know that most of those killed in the encounter with the Andhra Pradesh police belonged to Tiruvannamalai and Vellore districts Tamil Nadu.
He wrote to his AP counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu seeking to know if the Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Force (RSASTF) maintained “adequate restraint” during the operation. He urged Naidu that adequate compensation be paid to their kin and also action be initiated against those responsible for the killing, if human rights violation was established in the probe.
Earlier, DMK president and former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had said that despite such incident taking place over the past few months, both state governments did not discuss and take adequate steps and now 20 lives were lost. He said that both states should take steps to avoid such occurrences.
The NHRC issued notices to the DGP and the Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh calling for report "explaining the act of police and forest officials within two weeks.” The NHRC will take up the matter for hearing in Hyderabad on 23 April, 2015.
Deputy Inspector-General of RSASTF M Kantha Rao said that the individual criminal antecedents of the slain “smugglers” would be verified soon.
Meanwhile, Additional Director-General of Police (Law and order) RP Thakur justified the encounter saying that it was an act of retaliation. The security men confronted them and asked them to surrender, he said.
Meanwhile, Director-General of Police JV Ramudu called on Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and briefed him. The Chief Minister held an emergency meeting on the incident with his colleagues and briefed the Governor ESL Narasimhan about the incident.
Redsanders has been a major source of disturbance in the Seshachalam forest for several years. One of the main accused, Gangi Reddy, in the attempt on the life of Chandrababu Naidu in October 2003, is also accused of largescale redsanders smuggling. Currently, Gangi Reddy is in Mauritius prison following a red-corner notice issued by interpol and his arrest. The Andhra Pradesh police are trying to get extradite him to India to try him under all the charges he is facing.
Redsanders smugglers attacked forest officials on 16 December, 2013 killing two and injuring three. The fierce battle between theforest officials and the smugglers has been a bloody phenomenon in this part of the country.
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