20 people were today gunned down in Andhra Pradesh's Chittoor district in a police operation said to be against Red Sanders smugglers that came under severe attack from the government and political parties in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, which claimed 12 victims were labourers from their state.
Taking suo motu note of the incident, the National Human Rights Commission has issued a notice to Andhra Praderh government after one of its members observed that it involved "serious violation" of human rights of the individuals and the firing cannot be justified on the ground of self defence.
Human rights activists and a former AP DGP also criticised the police action saying it was "disproportionate" to the crime.
Police claimed that six of its personnel were also injured in an attack by the smugglers allegedly armed with sickles, axes and country-made weapons.
They claimed that the task force and forest personnel, during a joint combing operation, spotted over 200 red sanders woodcutters involved in felling trees and they were asked to surrender.
"However, the smugglers, armed with sickles, axes, swords, country-made weapons and stones, attacked the police and forest personnel injuring six policemen," Deputy Inspector General of Police (Special Task Force) M Kantha Rao told PTI.
In retaliation, when the police fired in "self-defence", 20 of the smugglers were killed and many others fled the scene, he said.
The Andhra police action elicited strong political reaction from parties in Tamil Nadu.
Chief Minister O P Panneerselvam wrote a strongly-worded letter to his counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu demanding a "credible and speedy" inquiry into the episode and responsibility fixed for possible human rights violations.
