NHRC issues notice to Andhra Pradesh over killing of 20 alleged smugglers, seeks report
New Delhi/Hyderabad: National Human Rights Commission issued a notice to Andhra Pradesh government on Tuesday seeking a report on the killing of 20 alleged red sanders smugglers by police in the state, observing that the incident "involved a serious violation" of human rights of individuals.
NHRC Member Justice D Murugesan observed the opening of firing cannot be justified on the ground of "self defence" since it resulted in the loss of lives of 20 persons.
Read: 20 dead in encounter with alleged red sanders smugglers in Chittoor forests, Andhra Pradesh
According to an NHRC statement, notices have been issued to the Chief Secretary and the DGP of Andhra Pradesh calling for report explaining the act of police and forest officials within two weeks.
The matter will be taken up for hearing in the camp sitting of the Commission to be held at Hyderabad on April 23.
The notices were issued after the Commission took suo motu cognizance of media reports that 20 alleged red sanders smugglers were killed in firing by a joint team of special police and forest personnel in the Seshachalam forests of Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh, in the early hours today.
Read: Tamil Nadu CM writes to AP counterpart, demand speedy enquiry into killing of red sander smugglers
People's Union for Civil Liberties also condemned the "shooting down of 20 people" in Seshachalam hill ranges in Andhra Pradesh's Chittoor district and demanded immediate registering of an FIR, including charges of murder, against the officials concerned.
"It's a misnomer to call this (as) an encounter, for in reality what has happened is a massacre of people alleged to have been involved in illegal felling," said PUCL National General Secretary Dr V Suresh.
Stating that illegal felling of red sanders trees had been going on for many years in Chittoor district, he said such a huge (smuggling) trade could not have happened without the active collusion and involvement of officials of the Departments of Forest, Police and Revenue.
Read: Major red sander smuggling encounters
He said FIR should be registered under charges of murder and a conspiracy to murder among others.
Suresh said "not even a twig" can be removed without the Forest department knowing about it.
"This massacre is nothing but an attempt to hoodwink the public about the wholesale deforestation that has been taking place because of the involvement of Forest officials," he said.
Read: Red sanders encounter: Andhra Pradesh Home Minister rules out human rights violation
Police and forest officials claimed they opened fire as the smugglers attacked them with stones, axes and knives.
The matter was immediately brought to the notice of Justice D Murugesan who is in Thiruvananthapuram in connection with a camp sitting of the Commission.
The Commission has also noted that a similar incident was reported from the bordering districts of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in December, 2014 wherein Andhra Pradesh forest officials were seen physically torturing and assaulting a man in a naked position and reports are awaited from concerned authorities and the issue is under consideration of the Commission, the statement added.
