The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Nallamala encounter: DGP hits out at rights activists

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 26, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Nallamala encounter: DGP hits out at rights activists

Special Correspondent

Says State has no need to indulge in fake encounters

Swaranjit Sen

HYDERABAD: Director-General of Police Swaranjit Sen has hit out at civil liberties activists for raising a hue and cry and levelling `false' allegations against the State in connection with the Nallamala encounter, in which CPI (Maoist) State secretary Madhav was among eight persons killed.

In a press release issued here on Tuesday, he observed that the activists were `worried' only when the extremists died in encounters. "The activists did not utter a word when the same Maoists massacred en masse innocent villagers in Vempenta and Yettabole and former legislator Ch. Narsi Reddy under various pretexts."

Mr. Sen asserted that the State had the `onerous' responsibility of protecting life and property of the public and was `accountable' to the people for all its acts. "There is no necessity for the State to resort to unlawful means and indulge in fake encounters," he said. He said it was for the people to judge whether an underground extremist wielding AK-47 rifle and responsible for commission of heinous crimes is an innocent person doing service to the people.

Madhav's threats

The release stated that Madhav had several times during the last one year issued controversial press statements against the State machinery and threatened political leaders of dire consequences. It listed the offences committed by the Maoist leader, including six murders in Karimnagar, Medak, Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar districts since 1988. He was also responsible for 96 murders since January 1, 2003, including 18 police personnel. According to the release, among others killed in the encounter were Vishvanath (an armed Jana Natya Mandali commander of Nallamala), Shyamala, Susheela (protection squad members of Madhav).

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