NHRC recommends Rupees ten lakh as monetary relief to the kin of two shot dead by police in Andhra Pradesh
New Delhi, 06th November, 2009
The National Human Rights Commission has recommended that the Government of Andhra Pradesh pay Rupees five lakh each to the next of kin of Ramayampuram Venkatesh and Putti Nagabushanam shot dead by the police on the outskirts of Nirmal Town in Adilabad District on the 18th October, 2003. The police claimed that both Venkatesh and Nagabushanam were robbers and were seen moving about in suspicious circumstances with their associates. They started pelting stones when accosted by the police and tried to escape. In these circumstances, the police was compelled to open fire in self defence.
Disagreeing with the police version, the Commission observed in its proceedings in the case no.593/1/2003-2004 on the 8th July, 2009 that mere pelting of stones by the miscreants could not be a justification for the police to open fire at them. Considering the fire arm entry wounds seen during the post-mortem and also the other circumstances of the incident, the Commission issued a show-cause notice to the Government of Andhra Pradesh under section 18 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. In response to the show-cause notice, the Andhra Pradesh Government communicated through its letter dated 8th September, 2009 that it has decided to pay an ex-gratia of rupees one lakh each to the next of kin of both the deceased.
The Commission is of the opinion that an amount of rupees one lakh is grossly inadequate for the loss of human life. The police cannot be a law unto itself. It must learn to respect human life. Even if the police version in this case be taken on its face value, the killing of two persons cannot be justified at all. The Commission has asked the state government to submit its compliance report within eight weeks from the date of receipt of its recommendations. The Commission took up the matter on receiving a complaint on the 29th October, 2003 from Mr. T. Duryodhana Reddy, a human rights activist, alleging fake encounter.
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The National Human Rights Commission has recommended that the Government of Andhra Pradesh pay Rupees five lakh each to the next of kin of Ramayampuram Venkatesh and Putti Nagabushanam shot dead by the police on the outskirts of Nirmal Town in Adilabad District on the 18th October, 2003. The police claimed that both Venkatesh and Nagabushanam were robbers and were seen moving about in suspicious circumstances with their associates. They started pelting stones when accosted by the police and tried to escape. In these circumstances, the police was compelled to open fire in self defence.
Disagreeing with the police version, the Commission observed in its proceedings in the case no.593/1/2003-2004 on the 8th July, 2009 that mere pelting of stones by the miscreants could not be a justification for the police to open fire at them. Considering the fire arm entry wounds seen during the post-mortem and also the other circumstances of the incident, the Commission issued a show-cause notice to the Government of Andhra Pradesh under section 18 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. In response to the show-cause notice, the Andhra Pradesh Government communicated through its letter dated 8th September, 2009 that it has decided to pay an ex-gratia of rupees one lakh each to the next of kin of both the deceased.
The Commission is of the opinion that an amount of rupees one lakh is grossly inadequate for the loss of human life. The police cannot be a law unto itself. It must learn to respect human life. Even if the police version in this case be taken on its face value, the killing of two persons cannot be justified at all. The Commission has asked the state government to submit its compliance report within eight weeks from the date of receipt of its recommendations. The Commission took up the matter on receiving a complaint on the 29th October, 2003 from Mr. T. Duryodhana Reddy, a human rights activist, alleging fake encounter.
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