A State Human Rights Commission-panel headed by its chairman Justice S R Nayak paid a visit to Menasinahadya on Wednesday in order to enquire whether the recent police encounter at Ammadlu was a fake or a real one.

“Some of the relatives of the deceased and a few NGOs have sought the intervention of the Human Rights Commission, who have complained that the encounter was fake one. They have demanded that the commission should personally visit the place and provide justice to the sufferers of exploitation,” said Commission Chairman Justice S R Nayak, addressing the tribals of Menasinahadya limits during his visit.

The place of incident has been examined, he said and added that only applicants and the witnesses shown in the petitions will be enquired. He asked rest of the members to disperse.

Prashanth, the son of deceased Rame Gowda and Appu Gowda, Sheshe Gowda, Bhagya, the relatives of deceased Sundaresh were enquired in a separate room. Commission members B Parthasarathi, R H Reddy were present.

Durgaparameshwari Girijana Yuvaka sangha and Kudremukh National Park Virodhi Okkuta submitted descriptive written complaints to the Commission and stated that Parameshwara, Kaveramma, Sundaresh and Rame Gowda, who were killed in the encounter, were not naxals and they did not possess any weapons.

“It was a pre-planned murder,” the organisations alleged in the petitions. New clothes were there on the dead bodies; police did not allow the public to see the bodies for several hours; Sundaresh was a labourer, while Parameshwara had been continuously fighting for the basic amenities of the region, the memorandums stated.

Disappointment

Several people awaiting the Commission Chairman Justice S R Nayak for over three hours to explain their miseries, were disappointed as they were denied of the opportunity.

Some of the tribal youth rued that it was an injustice done on them. “We did not have an opportunity to convince the panel regarding our pain, fear and the negligence of the government,” they said. By seeing a large number of officials and police personnel, they appeared hesitant to speak out.