AP smugglers encounter: NHRC steps in, protests erupt in Chennai

"The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports that 20 alleged red sanders smugglers were killed in firing by a joint team of special police and forest personnel in the Seshachalam forests of Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh in the early hours today on the 7th April, 2015," the NHRC said in a statement.

According to the media reports, the incident took place at Etagunta and Vacchinodu Banda hamlets, in the deep forest in Chandragiri Mandal.

"From the media reports, it appears that police and forest officials opened fire as the smugglers attacked them with stones, axes and knives," the human rights commission stated.

"The matter was immediately brought to the notice of NHRC Member Mr. Justice D. Murugesan who is camping in Thiruvananthapuram in connection with the camp sitting of the Commission. He observed that the incident involved a serious violation of human rights of the individuals and the opening of firing cannot be justified on the ground of self defence since it resulted in the loss of lives of 20 persons," the commission stated.

Accordingly, notices were issued to the Chief Secretary and the DGP of Andhra Pradesh calling for report explaining the act of police and forest officials within two weeks.

"The matter shall be taken up for hearing in the Camp Sitting of the Commission to be held at Hyderabad on 23rd April, 2015," NHRC stated.

"The Commission has also noted that this incident has taken place at a time when a similar incident was reported from the bordering districts of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in the month of December, 2014 wherein Andhra Pradesh forest officials were seen physically torturing and assaulting a man in a naked position and reports are awaited from concerned authorities and the issue is under consideration of the Commission," it said.

Meanwhile, several political parties in Tamil Nadu including the DMK, MDMK and the PMK have condemned the encounter and have said that the illegal woodcutters were actually daily wage workers employed by red sanders smugglers.

Following the incident, strong protests erupted from Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, demanding an independent inquiry to determine how the men were killed.

This comes after speculations went rife that many among the deceased were reportedly from across the border.

"Such high casualty raises concerns about police restraint," Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam reportedly wrote to his counterpart Andhra Pradesh's Chandrababu Naidu, asking for an investigation into the encounter.