ANANTAPUR: A fact-finding committee of rights bodies has blamed both TDP and police for the May 13 violence at Penukonda, in which six TDP activists and a police ASI were killed.

An eight-member team comprising the representatives of the Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee, the Human Rights Forum and the Organisation for People's Democratic Rights visited Penukonda earlier this week to enquire into the large-scale violence during the filing of nomination papers by the TDP candidate, P. Sunita.

The panel interacted with a cross section of people, employees and officials of the Revenue and Police Departments as part of their fact-finding mission.

The Penukonda RDO, S.V. Nageswara Rao, had told the panel that magisterial orders for firing were given by the MRO concerned following a request by the police.

The DSP, John Wesley, said the police resorted to firing after having exhausted other options.

However, a section of people and employees reportedly told the committee that both TDP and police were responsible for the violence.

They explained that it all started with a minor altercation between the police and a TDP activist. The police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the TDP mob that gathered at the RDO's office.

The panel was told that three TDP men died in the police firing during the initial round and three more fell to the bullets later.

A section of people asserted that use of teargas and firing in the air were taken up only after the killing of seven persons. Besides, the panel did not find any evidence on the police claim of use of bombs by TDP activists.

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