Court seeks video of naxals’ autopsy

The Hyderabad High Court on Monday directed the Kothagudem district police to submit to it the video footage of the post mortem conducted on the bodies of eight alleged Naxalites killed in an encounter near Nelamadugu of Kothagudem district early on December 14.

The order was passed by a division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice G. Shyam Prasad which was dealing with a PIL filed by Civil Liberties Committee president G. Laxman on the alleged encounter.

Mr V. Raghunath, counsel for the petitioner, said the police had claimed that eight persons belonging to the Bata dalam of the CPI(ML) Chandra Pulla Reddy faction were killed in exchange of fire. Another body was later found in the same area.

He alleged that it was not an exchange of fire but that police had killed the nine persons in the name of an encounter by firing at them from close range after subjecting them to brutal torture. He said injuries had been found on the bodies of the deceased.

He alleged that it was planned murder and police had conducted the post mortem overnight and handed over the bodies to the family members of the victims and forced them to perform the final rituals.

He submitted that the police had claimed that there was exchange of fire, but none of the police personnel were injured. He urged the court to direct registration of murder cases against the police personnel responsible for the killing. He also asked the court to monitor the probe.

Additional AdvocateGeneral J. Ramachandra Rao submitted that the police conducted the post mortem as per the guidelines of Supreme Court and entire post mortem was recorded through video. He said the investigation was entrusted to a DSP level officer.

Counsel for the petitioner asked how a DSP level officer could inquire into the incident when the superintendent of police of the district was involved in the case.

Directing the police to submit the video footage, the bench adjourned the case to Friday.