Questions are now being raised about the veracity of the police’s claims from several quarters, alleging that the deaths of alleged sandalwood smugglers were fake encounters.

On Wednesday morning Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has apprised Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh of the situation. Sources say, the Chief Minister also briefed Governor ESL Narasimhan of the details of the shooting. The Union Home Ministry has now sought a detailed report from the state government.

Protests broke out in Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday morning . Bus services to the Tamil Nadu were disrupted due to stone pelting incidents. Police said four persons were arrested over attacks on buses on Tuesday and police patrolling has been intensified at bus terminuses.

A special task force team in Andhra Pradesh killed 20 alleged red sander (also known as sandalwood) smugglers in Chittoor district early Tuesday morning.

Chandragiri MLA Bhaskar Reddy (YSR Congress) demanded a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge saying that he had visited the spot and saw no weapons there. Calling it a “stage managed” encounter, Reddy said that the people could not have initiated an assault on the police when they were not armed.

According to S Balamurugan of the Tamil Nadu unit of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties, these deaths were the result of the alienation of land from forest dwellers in Tamil Nadu, combined with a lack of alternative employment.

K Chaitanya of the Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee said that the committee would file a special leave petition with the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Wednesday, asking for the bodies to be preserved.

Demands For a Probe

Responding to reports that many of the dead were from Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister O Panneerselvam expressed his distress in a letter to Andhra Pradesh, CM N Chandrababu Naidu.

Amidst reports of protests erupting across the state, Tamil Nadu’s opposition leaders - MDMK leader Vaiko and PMK leader Ramadoss - demanded action against the police officers involved in the shootout.

While police personnel have every right to arrest and prosecute offenders, shooting them dead like birds is unacceptable.

- Vaiko, MDMK Chief

NHRC Steps In

Taking suo motu cognizance of media reports on the incident, the NHRC (National Human Rights Commission) issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the DGP of Andhra Pradesh calling for an explanation within two weeks.

He ( NHRC member Justice D Murugesan) observed that the incident involved a serious violation of human rights of the individuals and the opening of firing cannot be justified on the ground of self defence since it resulted in the loss of lives of 20 persons.

- NHRC Statement

The Official Version

The shooting occurred in two places within a radius of one km in Chandragiri mandal of Chittoor. Nine people were killed near Srivari Mettu and 11 were killed at Srinivasa Mangapuram.

The Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) reached the area after receiving a tip-off early Tuesday morning. The smugglers allegedly started pelting stones on the task force team.

The personnel then retaliated by opening fire. Task force personnel believe that some of the smugglers had escaped during the firing. State police and the task force team has now launched a search operation.

(With inputs from The News Minute)