STF: Govt. asked to clarify stand on charges

By T.S. Ranganna

BANGALORE, JAN. 8. A senior police officer has written to the State Government to make its stand clear on the allegations of human rights violations against some officers of the Special Task Force constituted to ban the brigand, Veerappan.

The letter comes in the wake of the persistent demand by some human rights activists, including the Tamil Nationalist Movement leader, Mr. P. Nedumaran, who was instrumental in getting Veerappan to release Mr. Rajkumar and other hostages, that the officers responsible for the alleged human rights violations should be brought to book.

The allegations of human rights violations by the STF against villagers in Veerappan territory took centre stage in the wake of the abduction of Mr. Rajkumar.

Though the Government announced that it would not carry out any operations against Veerappan during the hostage crisis, it did discuss strategies to nab him, if and when the situation arose. At that point, several police officers who had earlier served in the STF, voiced their apprehensions about the possibility of facing action for alleged human rights violations during the course of the operation to apprehend the brigand.

After the hostages were freed and the Government decided to reactivate the task force, the question of human rights violations again came up. The officer of the rank of Inspector- General of Police, who raised the issue, later wrote a letter to the Government asking it to clarify its stand on the allegations of human rights violations by the STF.

He also pointed out that the Government was yet to give its reply to the court and the National Human Rights Commission on the charges and, hence, it would be difficult for the STF to go ahead with the operations against the brigand.

Drawing attention to the fact that the task force had reduced the strength of the Veerappan gang to less than five after a strenuous three-year operation, the officer said that some inconvenience to the villagers could not be avoided as many people had to be questioned in custody to get information on the brigand's movements.

The officer, who wanted to remain anonymous, said the 3,000- strong force would be demoralised if the Government failed to take a firm stand on the charges and inform the courts accordingly.

The State Government, according to sources in the Home Department, was in a dilemma. Should it admit the human rights lapses or defend the STF against the alleged violations? The Government was aware of the difficult conditions under which the STF had to operate, particularly in gathering intelligence, for which it had to question the villagers.

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Section  : Southern States
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