Chittoor incident merely 'smugglers vs law' issue:Andhra to TN

Sticking to its stand that the Chittoor firing incident was a mere "smugglers versus law" issue, Andhra Pradesh government today urged parties in Tamil Nadu to refrain from acting under political compulsions to satisfy their support base and rejected compensation demand.
Responding to strong reactions and protests in Tamil Nadu over the incident in which 20 people from that state were shot dead during an operation said to be against red sanders smugglers, Andhra Pradesh Communication Advisor Parakala Prabhakar appealed to Tamil Nadu leaders not to view this as an issue between the two southern states.
"Political parties have their own compulsions and support base, which they have to satisfy. We would like political parties to view the whole incident as a smuggler versus law issue and not as a one state versus another state issue," Prabhakar told PTI.

Asked if the April 7 incident has taken a political colour in Tamil Nadu, he said parties have to come to terms with the law. "Our appeal is that a (magisterial) enquiry has been ordered (by the Andhra Pradesh government) and we should not jump to conclusions."
The enquiry would establish the "circumstances" (leading to the firing) and on the basis of the enquiry report, "We can take action or whatever," he said.
Prabhakar said the judiciary is seized of the matter, noting that petitions have been filed before Hyderabad and Madras high courts, while the National Human Rights Council (NHRC) has taken cognisance of the matter.

"Judiciary is seized of the matter. We should end there. Let the judiciary decide," he said as the Hyderabad High Court today sought to know if Andhra Pradesh Police have registered a case of unnatural death in connection with the killing.

Additional Advocate General (AAG) D Srinivas submitted before the high court that a magisterial inquiry is underway into the operation according to Supreme Court guidelines.
The high court observed that when the matter is under investigation it did not wish to comment on whether it is "death or killings".
Prabhakar, meanwhile, ruled out giving "compensation" to the next of kin from Tamil Nadu (where a demand to this effect has been made in some quarters) killed in the incident. "Not at all (we will not give). We view them as smugglers."

Asked about Left parties, rights groups, and political parties in Tamil Nadu being critical of police action, and if this had not "dented" the image of the Andhra Pradesh government, he said, "It (the incident) will be seen as somebody (Andhra government) who is very stern in its dealings with people who break the law".