NAPM condemns killings in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh

Ensure that those entrusted with responsibility of maintaining the law and order do not misuse it !

10^th April 2015, New Delhi: NAPM is outraged at the level of bloodshed perpetuated by the police machinery involving the killings of 5 under-trials in Nalagonda (Telangana) and encounter of over 20 woodcutters in the Seshachalam forests in AP. Media reports, evidences and even common sense not only contradict police versions of both incidents but also suggest that these are planned custodial killings and cold-blooded massacres at the behest of state police.

The first incident took place when 5 under-trials, the alleged ‘SIMI’ activists, were being transported from Warangle Jail to a Hyderabad court by the police for a hearing wherein the judgment was to be pronounced soon. This cannot just be a coincident but a patterned act of state violence against people of a particular religion in the name of ‘fighting terrorism’, which must be strongly condemned.  Hashimpura, Batla house, Ishrat Jahan case, and many other incidents are painful reminders of similar targeted violence facilitated by the culture of impunity enjoyed by the police and state institutions.

The second incident involving killing of 20 woodcutter from Tamil Nadu, the alleged ‘smugglers’,  by the newly formed Red-Sanders Anti Smuggling taskforce of AP in a highly suspicious situation too raises many questions. Media reports suggest that out of 20, at least 7 were picked up by the police just a day before. Further, bullet injuries on face, head and the chest contradict police’s version that they “randomly fired upon the smugglers”. Taking cognizance, the NHRC too has called it a serious violation of human rights.

A protest outside the Andhra and Telangana Bhawan was held today in Delhi along with protests all across the country to demand immediate and impartial CBI investigation as well as judicial probes in time-bound and transparent manner into both cases. We also demand that cases of unnatural death must be filed immediately. Security of witnesses must be ensured. Reparation efforts for the families of victims must be taken. We strongly feel that the issue of impunity in extra-judicial and rampant custodial killings in India is serious violations of rights and threat to ideals of secularism and equality of our democracy. We need stronger and more accountable mechanisms to ensure that those who are entrusted with responsibility of maintaining the law and order do not misuse it.

Medha Patkar - Narmada Bachao Andolan and the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM); Prafulla Samantara - Lok Shakti Abhiyan & Lingraj Azad –Samajwadi Janparishad, NAPM, Odisha; Dr. Sunilam, Aradhna Bhargava - Kisan Sangharsh Samiti &Meera – Narmada Bachao Andolan, NAPM, MP; Suniti SR, Suhas Kolhekar, Prasad Bagwe - NAPM, Maharashtra; Gabriele Dietrich, Geetha Ramakrishnan – Unorganised Sector Workers Federation, NAPM, TN; C R Neelkandan – NAPM Kerala; P Chennaiah &Ramakrishnan Raju – NAPM Andhra Pradesh, Arundhati Dhuru & Richa Singh –Sangtin Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan, NAPM, UP; Sister Celia - Domestic Workers Union &Rukmini V P, Garment Labour Union, NAPM, Karnataka; Vimal Bhai - Matu Jan sangathan & Jabar Singh, NAPM, Uttarakhand; Anand Mazgaonkar, Krishnakant - Paryavaran Suraksh Samiti, NAPM Gujarat; Kamayani Swami, Ashish Ranjan – Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan & Mahendra Yadav – Kosi Navnirman Manch, NAPM Bihar; Faisal Khan, Khudai Khidmatgar, NAPM Haryana; Kailash Meena, NAPM Rajasthan; Amitava Mitra & Sujato Bhadra, NAPM West Bengal; B S Rawat – Jan Sangharsh Vahini &Rajendra Ravi, Madhuresh Kumar and Kanika Sharma – NAPM, Delhi