NAIDU PROMISES SWIFT PROBE IN CHITTOOR KILLINGS

HYDERABAD/CHENNAI: Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday assured Tamil Nadu counterpart O Panneerselvam of a speedy probe into the contentious killing of 20 alleged smugglers in the forests of Chittoor this week, amid accusations that police gunned down the men in a fake encounter.

The killings sparked tensions between the two states and triggered a national controversy, with the Andhra government saying the men from the neighbouring region were red sandalwood smugglers, while Tamil Nadu said they were innocent labourers.

Replying to Panneerselvam who had expressed concern over the April 7 incident, Naidu wrote that his government had ordered a magisterial probe into the case and autopsies of the bodies was complete.

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