Many of those killed are said to be from Tamil Nadu. Several political parties and rights groups condemned the incident as a violation of human rights and are demanding action.
The Tamil Nadu government announced a solatium of Rs 3 lakh each to the kin of labourers who were killed in police action. “The Tamil Nadu government has ordered a solatium of Rs 3 lakh to the families of each of those killed yesterday from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund,” said an official statement.
A team of Tamil Nadu revenue and police officials have been sent to Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh to bring back the bodies of those killed. Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Revenue officials said they have made all arrangements to ensure that bodies are promptly handed over to the kin of those killed.
Hearse vans of the TN Health Department have also been sent to AP to bring back the bodies, the government said. Bus services to and from Andhra Pradesh were suspended by both the Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh State transport corporations with a posse of police personnel deployed at bus stations, following stone-pelting incidents.
Protests continued across the state, with PMK chief Dr S Ramadoss alleging that “this (encounter) was pre-planned and there was enough evidence to prove this.” “Since the killings are pre-planned, it is not fair for AP to probe it. The probe should be done by a sitting Supreme Court judge,” he said. The issue should also be taken to the notice of President Pranab Mukherjee, PM Narendra Modi and the “victims’ kin should get justice,” he added.
Officials in Hyderabad said the combing operations continued on Wednesday in Seshachalam hill ranges of AP to nab “absconding woodcutters and smugglers”.
Police said 14 red sander smugglers in Chittoor have been nabbed since Tuesday night and 3.5 tonnes of precious wood and five vehicles, all estimated to be worth Rs 1 crore have been seized from their possession.
Meanwhile fringe outfits like Naam Tamilar Katchi and others staged protests in front of Andhra Bank in Chennai and other establishments, having AP link. Students of the Government Vellore Law College also staged protests on the Vellore-Chittoor Road.
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi cadre blocked a train in Walajah Road railway junciton near Vellore and 50 men were detained by police. Scores of advocates staged protests in several towns, including Mayiladuthrai and Tirunelveli. Several TN leaders have also flayed the incident.
Bus services from Andhra to TN hit
Bus services from AP to Tamil Nadu have been hit following protests in the wake of gunning down of 20 people in a police operation in Chittoor. “Since last night our buses are not operating to Chennai and other places of Tamil Nadu. APSRTC buses, plying from Chennai and other places to our state, have also not been operating,” AP Road Transport Corporation’s Tirupati Regional Manager G Maheshwara said. As many as 150 bus services, mostly from Chittoor have been stopped and discussions are on with Tamil Nadu police for restoring them, the APSRTC official said.
High Court seeks report from Andhra on deaths
The Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday directed the Andhra Pradesh government to submit a report in two days on the killing of 20 woodcutters by police in an alleged gun battle.
The court asked the government and the Director General of Police to submit the report, giving details of Tuesday's incident in Chittoor and also whether it followed the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court for the states to follow in case of such encounters.
The high court, which is serving both the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, gave the direction on a petition filed by a human rights activist, seeking a probe by the CBI into what he said was a fake encounter.
Raghunath, the counsel for the petitioner, said the court asked the government to give details of the people who were killed. The petitioner alleged that the labourers were murdered by the police in cold blood. He said the police fired to kill the innocent labourers.
The Tamil Nadu government announced a solatium of Rs 3 lakh each to the kin of labourers who were killed in police action. “The Tamil Nadu government has ordered a solatium of Rs 3 lakh to the families of each of those killed yesterday from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund,” said an official statement.
A team of Tamil Nadu revenue and police officials have been sent to Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh to bring back the bodies of those killed. Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Revenue officials said they have made all arrangements to ensure that bodies are promptly handed over to the kin of those killed.
Hearse vans of the TN Health Department have also been sent to AP to bring back the bodies, the government said. Bus services to and from Andhra Pradesh were suspended by both the Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh State transport corporations with a posse of police personnel deployed at bus stations, following stone-pelting incidents.
Protests continued across the state, with PMK chief Dr S Ramadoss alleging that “this (encounter) was pre-planned and there was enough evidence to prove this.” “Since the killings are pre-planned, it is not fair for AP to probe it. The probe should be done by a sitting Supreme Court judge,” he said. The issue should also be taken to the notice of President Pranab Mukherjee, PM Narendra Modi and the “victims’ kin should get justice,” he added.
Officials in Hyderabad said the combing operations continued on Wednesday in Seshachalam hill ranges of AP to nab “absconding woodcutters and smugglers”.
Police said 14 red sander smugglers in Chittoor have been nabbed since Tuesday night and 3.5 tonnes of precious wood and five vehicles, all estimated to be worth Rs 1 crore have been seized from their possession.
Meanwhile fringe outfits like Naam Tamilar Katchi and others staged protests in front of Andhra Bank in Chennai and other establishments, having AP link. Students of the Government Vellore Law College also staged protests on the Vellore-Chittoor Road.
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi cadre blocked a train in Walajah Road railway junciton near Vellore and 50 men were detained by police. Scores of advocates staged protests in several towns, including Mayiladuthrai and Tirunelveli. Several TN leaders have also flayed the incident.
Bus services from Andhra to TN hit
Bus services from AP to Tamil Nadu have been hit following protests in the wake of gunning down of 20 people in a police operation in Chittoor. “Since last night our buses are not operating to Chennai and other places of Tamil Nadu. APSRTC buses, plying from Chennai and other places to our state, have also not been operating,” AP Road Transport Corporation’s Tirupati Regional Manager G Maheshwara said. As many as 150 bus services, mostly from Chittoor have been stopped and discussions are on with Tamil Nadu police for restoring them, the APSRTC official said.
High Court seeks report from Andhra on deaths
The Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday directed the Andhra Pradesh government to submit a report in two days on the killing of 20 woodcutters by police in an alleged gun battle.
The court asked the government and the Director General of Police to submit the report, giving details of Tuesday's incident in Chittoor and also whether it followed the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court for the states to follow in case of such encounters.
The high court, which is serving both the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, gave the direction on a petition filed by a human rights activist, seeking a probe by the CBI into what he said was a fake encounter.
Raghunath, the counsel for the petitioner, said the court asked the government to give details of the people who were killed. The petitioner alleged that the labourers were murdered by the police in cold blood. He said the police fired to kill the innocent labourers.