|
Subramanian.G
Executive Director, MANITHAM
[Promoting Human Rights, Protecting Environment]
9 Muthu Samy Colony
Coimbatore - 641 026
Tamil Nadu
Mobile : 9443322543 / 9363112315
The Hindu
Letter to Editor
Chennai
Sub: Response to "Operation Cocoon" - Veerappan Encounter
---------
While appreciating the strategy and tactics operated by the Special Task Force [STF] in Operation Cocoon drama, one should not forgot the Human Rights violators in that mission.
We have to recap the words of Justice A S Anand, Justice A.S. Anand, Chairperson, (Former Chief Justice of India), addressed a letter to All Chief Minister in India on 2 nd December, 2003:
"The police does not have a right to take away the life of a person. If, by his
act, the policeman kills a person, he commits an offence of culpable homicide or
not amounting to murder, unless it is established that such killing was not an
offence under the law."
As per the STF trapped version, a police van converted into ambulance, having 2 separated cabins. In front cabin there were 2 STF persons and in the rare slot, Veerappan gang consist of 4 members. Hence STF has to answer for ordinary layman queries:
1. Why the STF has not having an idea of tear/faint gasing into the Veerappan cabin.
2. Eventhough, Veerappan gang with arms and ammunitions alongwith them, it has to be exhausted at one point as in Sivarasan's case.
3. The STF has not released the last video footages [STF informed that they installed a video camera inside the ambulance in the rare cabin] of Veerappan gang.
We, the Human Rights activists, beliving only in Fair Trail and not just eliminating in the name of encounter.
It is said that Veerappan killed 2,000 elephants, smuggled sandal wood and receives several crores of ransoms. Then and there, these tusks, sandal wood and ransom money had been shifted major part to outsiders only. In such encounter, we have lost not only Veerappan, but also the core informations on the outsiders/culprits, who have been behind for the acts. Also they have a chance of escaping from the clutchs of law.
We want to know weather the NHRC's 1997 guidelines and 2003 revised guidelines has been taken into account:
a. FIR should be register under appropriate sections of the IPC.
b. A Magisterial inquiry to be initiated [We come to know that Dharmapuri Magister has been appointed to enquire on this encounter]
c. If it is found that the encounter is a fake one, then the responsible persons should be prosecuted.
On Humanitarian grounds, lot of Human Right activists, Journalists etc. has involved themselves to secure the hostages etc. Sadasivam Commission appointed by the NHRC, exclusively to enquiry the atrocities on villagers/tribes by the STF in Veerappan Hills. The Commission has submitted its final report to NHRC, which has not
been released officially, till today. Hundreds of Tribals/Villagers from this MM hills has been jailed even without trails for more than 8 years. Human Rights Defenders only secure these persons and done a lot in this sphere. We have shocked to read that a former DGP of Tamil Nadu has defending on this encountering.
--
This is in response to the article appeared in Open page
of 'The Hindu' : "Operation Cocoon" [ http://www.hindu.com/op/2004/10/26/stories/2004102600091700.htm
]
|
