The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Manala encounter: rights groups for CBI probe

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 14, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Manala encounter: rights groups for CBI probe

By Our Staff Reporter

MANALA (NIZAMABAD DT.), MARCH 13. Leaders of various civil rights groups have asked the Government to order an enquiry into the Manala encounter either by the Central Bureau of Investigation or by an impartial agency, as the way in which the ten Maoists were killed on March 7, raised several doubts.

They found fault with the Home Minister, K. Jana Reddy, and the Director-General of Police, Swaranjit Sen, announcing that the naxalites were killed in a genuine exchange of fire without visiting the scene of offence.

It was strange that the Minister and the DGP had come to a conclusion on the encounter killings just 15 minutes after the incident, they pointed out and said that after encounter no steps were initiated to enquire into it as per the law.

Speaking to mediapersons after visiting the encounter site on Jojyanaik Gutta (hillock), here on Sunday, the Human Rights Forum leader, K. Balagopal, and the Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee general secretary, Seshaiah, wanted an enquiry to be ordered registering the case under Section 302 IPC against the police officers responsible for the killings.

Court, NHRC judgment

According to a judgment delivered by the High Court in 1997 and the National Human Rights Commission guidelines, a case must be booked against the policemen and officers involved in the encounter. The court and the NHRC maintained that if the police officers involved in the encounter were found innocent they could be absolved or if found guilty they must be punished as per law, they said.

The leaders observed that the Manala encounter had given ample scope for doubts as the spot (hill slope) where the bodies of the slain naxalites remained after the alleged exchange of fire, was such that it could not be possible for naxalites to fire on the police.

No supporting violence

When asked on the Maoists' attack on Chilakaluripet police station, they said as representatives of rights groups they would never support such a ghastly act. However, it was unfair on the part of both the Maoists and the police to indulge in killings and counter killings.

A 15-member team comprising Balagopal and Burra Ramulu (HRF), Seshaiah, Rajanandam, Murthy, Sangham, Bheem Rao and Bhaskar (APCLC), Narayan Reddy (OPDR), Prakash Rao and Krishna (Prajaswamya Hakkula Vedika) and Pela Bhatia (Delhi University) and three others visited the spot.

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