The family of C. Kamaraj, who was killed in an encounter by Andhra Pradesh Forest Department officials in Kadapa district on Saturday on suspicion of being a red sanders smuggler, has requested the Tamil Nadu government to get a fresh postmortem done.
Kamaraj, a resident of Kanamalai in Jawadu Hills, was shot dead by a combing party of the Andhra Pradesh forest department in Kadapa district, near Gollapalli forest area in Srikalahasthi mandal. The forest officers claim that they came across 15 men cutting down red sanders and began to pursue them on Saturday.
The smugglers allegedly threw stones at the combing party in which a few personnel were injured. The forest personnel reportedly fired one round in air and later opened fire in self-defence. Kamaraj took a hit and died.
‘Invoke SC/STs Act’
K. Ayyapan, victim’s son-in-law, claims that the post-mortem was conducted in Andhra Pradesh without the permission of the family. He has written to Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palanisamy seeking justice.
“We have suspicion pertaining to his death. We want a re-postmortem to be conducted and a case under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities Act) should be slapped against the personnel who killed him,” said Mr. Ayyapan.
Kamaraj, according to him, was a hearing-impaired person.
“He was a shepherd and sometimes he used to go to Kerala to work in coffee plantations. Around 10 days before he was shot dead, he went to Andhra Pradesh for construction work. After that there was no news from him. He never used mobile phones too,” Mr. Ayyapan said.