Andhra Encounter: CPM demands judicial inquiry

Valliyamma and Manickam, parents of M Murugan, who was killed in the Andhra encounter, at Vettagiripalayam.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Wednesday demanded a judicial inquiry into the killing of 20 people during a police operation against red sanders smugglers in Andhra Pradesh, and alleged that “ordinary workers” had become a target of “police brutality”.

The party also questioned the encounter of five undertrial prisoners in Telangana, and claimed it was a “premeditated” action by the police to avenge the killing of two personnel.

“These brazen murders in police custody cannot be swept under the carpet. There has to be a high-level inquiry into the incident and exemplary action taken against the guilty police officials…The Politburo of CPM condemns the police action in Andhra Pradesh. The police claims regarding the incident are untenable as there is sufficient evidence to show that these labourers were killed with impunity,” the party said in a statement.

“The state government and the police authorities have been failing to check the smuggling of red sanders and instead of taking appropriate measures in this regard, ordinary workers have become the target of police brutality,” it added.

“The Politburo demands a judicial enquiry be instituted to enquire into the incident. The state government should also provide full compensation to the families of those killed,” the party further said.

It also called the Telangana shooting a “staged encounter” and said it seemed to be “an act of revenge for the deaths of two police personnel in an earlier encounter with some former SIMI activists.”

Source:: Indian Express