A Division Bench of the Hyderabad High Court comprising Chief Justice Kalyanjyothi Sen Gupta and Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar on Wednesday wanted to know whether any case was registered regarding the killing of wood-cutters in police ‘encounter’ in the Seshachalam hill ranges near Tirupati on Tuesday.
Additional advocate general of Andhra Pradesh P. D. Srinivas informed the court that he was awaiting instructions from the government and sought time. The Bench reminded that there should be dignity even for the dead and asked the police to inform the court about the steps taken regarding post-mortem. The court posted the case to Friday.
Mr. Srinivas said the officers were following the directions of the Supreme Court regarding post-mortem, which was done at Ruia hospital in Tirupati.
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The Bench was dealing with a writ petition filed by Chilaka Chandrasekhar, secretary, Civil Liberties Committee. The petitioner said that 20 labourers were killed in firing by police and a criminal case for murder had to be registered against the police personnel involved in the encounter. V. Raghunath, counsel for the petitioner, said the police have been acting brutally against helpless persons in the name of curbing smuggling of red sanders.