Naxal's death was a cold blooded murder'

Addressing media persons at a press meet in Mangalore on Saturday, P A Pouran of PUCL, Kerala, said that the ANF personnel are going on a “killing spree in the name of combing operations” in the western ghats and not intending to nab or take into custody the naxalites alive. The killing of Yellappa in an encounter is a cold blooded murder, he alleged.

From the police FIR and accounts taken by the villagers of the nearby area where the encounter took place, the fact finding committee of CDRO has come to a conclusion that there was no exchange of fire between the naxals and the ANF, Mr. Pouran said. Yellappa's body had 15-20 bullet injuries  and not a single bullet was found in the dead body which means that all bullets were fired from a very close range, he said, thereby concluding that it was not an exchange of fire but an intentional murder. The people of the area also did not hear any sign or sound of exchange of fire, he added.

The CDRO representatives demanded that a murder case be registered against the ANF team led by Dy. Commandant A H Shankaran and that a judicial enquiry by a sitting judge of the High Court be ordered. They also urged that ANF team be kept under suspension with immediate effect and put a break on combing operations.

When asked if they are in favour of the naxal activity, the CDRO representatives said that they represent human rights organisations that only take up atrocities of state against people and that irrespective of whether the action is against Maoists or not, the police are not supposed to use more power than necessary to apprehend persons as per law.

C Sriram, PDF, Karnataka, K Kranthi Chaitanya, APCLC, Andhra Pradesh and P B D'sa of PUCL were also present.