NHRC recommends CBI inquiry in Chittoor encounter

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday recommended a Central Bureau Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the Chittoor encounter and directed the Andhra Pradesh government to give Rs five lakh to each of the families of the deceased.

"We have sent two teams, one to Andhra Pradesh site and another team to the village to record statement. We have asked for reports from the Andhra Pradesh government and we have not received those reports. We have recommended the Central Government and the state government to conduct a CBI enquiry," NHRC member Justice (retired) D. Murugesan told ANI.

"As far as the interim relief is concerned, considering the people who are coming from very drawn back community, we have ordered that the government of Andhra Pradesh should give five lakh to each of the families and they should report to the commission," he added.

Justice Murugesan said that the NHRC has also asked the Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police to appear before the commission as he has not filed his report in the incident.

Several human rights organisations have decried the police action and said that police gunned down the men in a fake encounter.

The killings sparked tensions between Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, with the Andhra government saying the men from the neighbouring state were red sandalwood smugglers, while Tamil Nadu said they were innocent labourers.

The encounter was the biggest operation in years to stamp out smuggling in remote forests in Chittoor District early this month. Most of the suspected smugglers hailed from Tamil Nadu.