The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) on Friday said it would get justice for those who killed in police firing in Tirupati on April 7 for alleged red sanders smuggling.
Ravi Thakur, vice-chairperson of the NCST, who were here to inquire with the relatives of the victims, said the mandate of the commission was to get good compensation for the families of the victims, reveal the truth behind the incident and to ascertain whether the Forest Rights Act had been violated.
“Thirteen of the 20 persons killed in police firing were STs, living below poverty line, and seven of them are OBCs,” he said, explaining that the families received Rs 6.75 lakh each so far from the Tamil Nadu government and political parties.
Even as the inquiry was in progress in the chamber, four-year old Sami, son of Govindasamy, one of the victims, was asking his mother something in a language incomprehensible to others. “He is the youngest of my four children. He is not able to speak properly. He is asking where father is,” said Muthammaa, the widow of Govindasamy.
She asked the NCST to get land for her family from the State government.
Ranjitham, widow of Sasikumar, said she had asked for 10 acres of land. “We have 11 family members and none of them have proper educational qualification to get a government job, So we need land to feed the huge family,” she said.
Senior officials, including the Chief Secretary and Director-General of Police, appeared before the commission.
“We are in touch with the Tamil Nadu and will ensure justice is done in this case. I will discuss it with our chairman and ask for a proper inquiry if the present inquiry into the incident is not sufficient,” Mr Thakur said, declaring that he would share his report with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
He said the NCST had no plans to approach the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
“The mandate of the commission was to get good compensation for the families of the victims and reveal the truth behind the incident”
