Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Sadhasiva panel final sitting in Bangalore

By Our Staff Reporter

ERODE April 30. The Justice Sadhasiva Panel, constituted by the National Human Rights Commission, will hold its final sitting at Bangalore on May 15, 16 and 17 when the Special Task Force personnel from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka would depose and have ample chance to reply to the allegations made against them by tribes.

Justice A.J.Sadhasiva, who heads the panel, disclosed this to presspersons today at Gobichettipalayam, where the panel concluded its two-day sitting today. He had instructed the STF personnel present there to instruct the police officials against whom allegations were levelled by the tribals to appear before the commission. Justice Sadhasiva said that there were allegations against Mr. Davaram, former DGP and head of the Joint STF of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, and he could also appear before the panel at Bangalore.

Justice Sadhasiva said the police are the law enforcing authority and they should not be law- breakers. He also wanted the STF personnel to provide details of the arrest of one Nachimuthu by the Karnataka police under Essential Commodities Act.

Earlier today the Commission declined to record the deposition of four persons. When Palanisamy and Masannan of Kalmandipuram appeared before the panel to depose, the panel said that they had already been arrested by the STF and convicted by the Magistrate and so it refused to record their deposition.

Similarly Beliya (35) of Devarmalai, while deposing, said that some years back when he was engaged in grazing cattle, he had sustained bullet injury and the STF police had taken him to Sathy Government Hospital, where he swooned. When he regained consciousness he said he was in Jail. The panel told him that he was giving contradictory statements and asked him to appear in the final sitting at Bangalore.

Abdul Muthur, a former driver of Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, appeared before the panel and said that when he was on duty at Thalawady he was assaulted by STF men some years back. The panel said that the Commission has been constituted to record the atrocities against the tribes by STF of the Thalawady, Burgur, Kadambur hill areas. This complaint did not come under its purview.

For the second day today the commission recorded deposition of the tribals. At Gobichttipalayam totally 20 tribals including one woman deposed before the commission.

Kalammal, wife of Mani of Ramaranai, said that eight years back when she and her husband Mani were sitting inside their house with their sons, the STF personnel came there and took Mani with them. She said that when she attempted to follow them, the police threatened her. So she could not follow them. Suddenly the police started beating her husband. On hearing his cry her first son was mentally affected and he had lost his balance of mind.

She said that the STF took her husband to the Hassanur STF camp and after one month some of her neighbours told her that her husband has been burnt to death by the STF at Gethesal village. Then she left for Kothagiri in Udagamandalam district with her children. The STF personnel denied her statement and said that she was lying with a view to get compensation from the Government.

Velliya of Kongadai said that STF police had kept him for nine months in illegal custody nine years back and still they are troubling him, by visiting his house and insisting on him to go to the forest and collect information about the movement of Veerappan, the forest brigand.

Today seven tribes deposed before the commission and yesterday 13 tribes deposed. The Tamilnadu Tribal Peoples' Association representatives said that more tribals are willing to appear before the panel, but the STF police are threatening them.

In all the complaints the tribals stated that they are innocent people, and have no knowledge of the movements of Veerappan. They also said that they were beaten indiscriminately by STF and given electric shock. On behalf of the Tamilnadu Tribal Peoples' Association Mr V.P.Gunasekaran was present at the enquiry.

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