Observing that there have been serious violations of  rights of the 20 Tamil Nadu woodcutters, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday ordered the chief secretary and DGP of Andhra Pradesh to appear in person before the Commission on the June 9 .

NHRC, in its observation said: “Considering the background of the victims, the delay in registration of FIR, improvements made by the officers of the state government, the nature of weapons allegedly seized from the spot, the testimony of Sekhar, A Balachandran, M Illango and the reluctance of the state government to share even basic information with the commission, we find that there are good grounds to think that there was serious violation of human rights of 20 persons who were killed by STF personnel on April 7 in Sheshachalam forest of Chittoor district.”

“The victims were very poor and their families are suffering under deprivation,” it said, “the families cannot be allowed to starve and die waiting for the final outcome of the enquiry by NHRC or investigation by an unbiased investigating agency.”

Also commission, in its recommendations, said the AP government shall pay Rs 5 lakh as immediate interim relief to the dependents of each of the 20 persons who were killed by STF personnel. “The compliance report with proof of payment should be submitted to the commission within eight weeks,” it added.

NHRC said the district magistrate, Chittoor shall promptly take steps to disburse financial assistance to the dependents of 13 victims who belonged to Scheduled Tribe under the rule of the SC/ST and submit action taken report to the commission within eight weeks.
Asking Tamil Nadu DGP to provide adequate protection to the witnesses, their families and the presidents of the panchayats where they are living, the commission asked chief secretary and DGP of Andhra Pradesh to appear in person before the Commission on June 9.