Woodcutters killing: NHRC to take up issue during camp sitting

The gunning down of 20 Tamil Nadu woodcutters in Andhra Pradesh and killing of five undertrial prisoners in Telangana will come up at three-day 'open hearing and camp sitting’ of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) beginning April 22.

NHRC has already sought responses of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments over the killings. In the woodcutters case, the rights body has observed that it "involved a serious violation" of human rights of individuals.

“We have already taken notice of the two incidents and have called for the reports of DGP and chief secretary of the states explaining the act of police and forest officials,” NHRC chairperson Justice K G Balakrishnan told reporters at the conclusion of 'open hearing and camp sitting' here.

“The commission expects that the (respective) state governments will come forward with more inputs on the issues during the camp sitting,” he said.

The commission has issued suo motu notices regarding the the two recent incidents in which 20 woodcutters were killed in firing by police and forest personnel in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh and the killing of five undertrials, alleged to be militants, by Telangana police.

Referring to the complaints from people affected by spraying of endosulfan pesticide in Kasaragod district in Kerala and from other states, he said: "We receive complaints even now, not only from Kerala but also from other states. We will pursue the matter till the entire compensation is paid.