In a pre-dawn mission, the fact-finding team from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) visited the encounter spot located deep in the forest abutting the Seshachalam hills on Tuesday.
In a bid to avoid the blazing heat wave and understandably the media glare, the team escorted by the local police entered the forest before sunrise, where they were received by sleuths of the Forest department and escorted to the spot.
The team comprising Pupul Dutta, I.P. Singh, Ravi Singh, Raghav Singh and Mallayya heard the version of the forest sleuths about the incident that took place in the early hours of April 7 that led to the shooting down of 20 woodcutters, said to have been hired by red sanders smugglers. The team went around the spot to get first-hand information about the incident. Contacted by the media later, Mr. Dutta said they would talk to police and officials of forest, taskforce and revenue departments as part of their probe.
Mr. Dutta hinted at meeting the members of the taskforce who had taken part in the alleged encounter to get their version on the reasons that led to firing.
The NHRC would take into cognisance the contention and grievances of the kin of the deceased by visiting Tiruvannamalai and Salem districts of Tamil Nadu, from where the deceased hailed.
Mr. Dutta said the team would inform the media about the proceedings at the end of their four-day mission to Seshachalam.
Meanwhile, media reports from Tamil Nadu indicate that a team from NHRC is currently camping in Tiruvannamalai to meet the family members of the woodcutters.
