TN SHRC asks its probe wing to inquire four encounter killings

CHENNAI: Even as the tug-of-war between the State Human Rights Commission and the Tamil Nadu police is going on over the alleged custodial torture of two murder suspects, the rights panel has opened yet another front by asking its investigation division to probe the recent four encounter killings by the police, including three by Chennai police, and file a report in six weeks.

According to sources, the inspectors involved in the shootings and investigating officers appeared before the commission on Tuesday.

The commission had sought reports on the encounter killings of a suspect in BSP State president K Armstrong’s murder, Thiruvengadam, and history sheeters ‘’Kakathope’ Balaji and ‘Seizing’ Raja by the Chennai police, and history-sheeter Duraisamy by the Pudukottai police.

After the officers appeared before it, the commission, headed by its chairperson, retired Kerala High Court chief justice S Manikumar, heard the submissions and posted the matter for further hearing on November 18.

Also Read: Who was 'Kakathope Balaji, the gangster shot dead in police 'encounter'

Sources added that the encounters of Balaji and Raja have been assigned to a team headed by inspector Kanchana, while the gunning down of Thiruvengadam and Duraisamy are assigned to inspector Ravikumar, both part of the SHRC's investigation wing.

It may be noted that DSP M Sundaresan of the investigation wing had filed a preliminary report against Kancheepuram police for allegedly illegally detaining and brutally assaulting suspects in the murder of a retired woman police inspector. Within days, the State police HQ shunted out the DSP from SHRC, but the chairperson put his foot down and passed an order retaining him.