The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) member, Justice D. Murugesan, has observed that the killing of 20 woodcutters by the Andhra Pradesh police in Seshachalam forests near Chittoor was prima facie a “massacre and a clear case of violation of human rights”. Addressing presspersons at the end of the three-day camp sitting here on Thursday, Mr. Justice Murugesan said on the basis of materials on record it is found that there “is no ground to prove it was a genuine encounter”. Though the Andhra Pradesh government had formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the killings and the investigation was being monitored by the Hyderabad High Court, the NHRC would continue its probe and abide by the court’s guidelines, he said.
The Commission has deputed a team to investigate the crime scene. The report is yet to be submitted.
Sitting in Chennai
During a camp sitting in Hyderabad, a lawyer representing the villagers requested the Commission to conduct a sitting in Chennai and record their statements as the villagers would not be able to go to Delhi or Hyderabad. The Commission asked them to submit a written request for a sitting in Chennai. The Commission has also directed the Tamil Nadu DGP and Chief Secretary to provide security to three witnesses who deposed before the Commission in Delhi and Puducherry, he said.
