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New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Rights groups seek CBI probe into killing of Maoists in Andhra's ASR
VISAKHAPATNAM: The Human Rights Forum (HRF) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Monday demanded criminal prosecution of police personnel involved in the killing of three armed Maoist squad members on June 18, in Rampachodavaram mandal of Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district. In a press release, the rights groups alleged that the incident was a staged encounter and called for an independent investigation by the CBI or under Supreme Court supervision, stating that local police cannot be trusted as they are directly involved. HRF and HRW representatives Y Rajesh, VS Krishna, and Balu Akkisa conducted a fact-finding mission in the area on July 18. They said villagers in Vemulakonda, Akuru, and Kintukuru reported no exchange of fire, contradicting police claims that the Greyhounds acted in self-defence.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
HRF and HRW demands criminal prosecution of police for killing Maoists
VISAKHAPATNAM : The Human Rights Forum (HRF) and the Human Rights Watch (HRW) demand criminal prosecution of police personnel responsible for the killing of three Maoist armed squad members on the morning of June 18, 2025 in the forest area of Rampachodavaram mandal in Alluri Sitharama Raju district, Andhra Pradesh. Those involved must be booked under relevant provisions of the law, including murder and the SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. It is imperative that an independent, impartial investigation – either by the CBI or under Supreme Court monitoring – be done. It cannot be entrusted to the local police, regular or special, since they are implicated in the crime. A three-member HRF and HRW team (Y Rajesh – HRF AP State general secretary, VS Krishna – HRF AP&TG Coordination Committee member and Balu Akkisa – HRW AP State president) on July 18, 2025 visited the Rampachodavaram Agency area on a fact-finding into the 'encounter'. We spoke with Adivasis of several villages in the Vemulakonda and Akuru panchayats as well as residents of Kintukuru, a remote habitation. The version of the police that a combing party of Greyhounds personnel were fired upon by the Maoists and the retaliatory fire in self-defence resulted in the death of three Maoists is a patent falsehood. The three Maoists were ambushed and executed in a burst of one-sided firing by the Greyhounds in the early morning of June 18. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Dubai villas | search ads Get Deals Undo The Maoists had been encamped deep in the forest area at a location about 3.5 km to the West of Kintukuru village. The camp is at a place referred locally as 'Oota mamidi' a perennial spring abutting a mango tree. Just behind it is a rivulet that flows East to merge with the Pamuleru vaagu. The three Maoists were camped at that spot for over two weeks. A large contingent of Greyhounds went via Kintukuru (Akuru panchayat) past midnight of June 17. They evidently had precise detail of the camp location which they surrounded from two sides to the South. The Greyhounds opened fire at daybreak, killing all three Maoists. There was no exchange of fire – no crossfire - only a targeted execution. The Greyhounds could have easily apprehended the three alive but they chose to kill them instead. The three Maoists killed were Gajarla Ravi (of Velishala village in Chityala mandal, Jayashankar Bhupalpally district, Telangana), Venkata Ravivarma Chaitanya (of Karakavanipalem in Pendurthi mandal, Visakhapatnam district, AP) and Kovvasi Anju, an Adivasi from Bodagubal village, Konta block, Sukma district of Chattisgarh. The bodies were taken to the Rampachodavaram Area Hospital the same evening, but the post-mortem was deliberately delayed until the next day. Relatives were forced to wait, plead, and it was only after sustained media pressure that they ultimately received decomposed bodies late on the night of June 19. By the time they were brought home, the bodies were infested with worms. These killings by special forces are part of a chilling, systematic ongoing campaign. Since January 2024, over 440 Maoists and unarmed civilians – preponderantly Adivasis in Chattisgarh - have been killed in encounters, many of them allegedly staged. We call on the Central and State governments in Maoist-affected regions to immediately halt this vicious slaughter. No democracy that claims to uphold Constitutional values can legitimise such a brutal policy of State-sanctioned extra-judicial bloodletting. HRF and HRW are of the opinion that the Maoists' repeated offers to cease hostilities and pursue peace talks warrants the government's utmost seriousness and constructive engagement. There is now a rare political opening to mitigate suffering, particularly among Adivasis, and address long-standing and deep-rooted grievances. This protracted conflict has already exacted a significant human cost, the three-member team added.
The Hindu
07-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
HRF demands immediate revocation of land allotted to Jindal in S.Kota
The Human Rights Forum (HRF) demanded the government to revoke the land allotted to Jindal South West Aluminium Ltd (JSWAL) in S Kota mandal of Vizianagaram district, in 2007. Addressing a section of the media, here on Monday (July 07), after a recent fact-finding tour to the villages, the members said that a total of over 1166 acres, including 985.70 acres of government and D Patta land and 180 acres of privately purchased land, was allotted to JSWAL for setting up an alumina refinery-cum smelter project that never materialised. For nearly two decades, Jindal has failed to set up the project and the government must therefore reclaim the land and distribute it to landless and marginal farmers in the area. 'We also call for initiation of a comprehensive and time-bound inquiry into the entire land allotment process, done in dubious circumstances, to JSWHL. The investigation must identify those responsible for this land scam — both in government and the company — and hold them accountable under the law,' HRF AP and TS Coordination Committee member VS Krishna said. A three-member HRF team visited the area on July 5 and spoke with farmers of Mushidipalle, Kiltampalem, Moola Boddavara, Chinakandepalli and Cheedipalem villages. 'We interacted with farmers who have set up a protest camp in Boddavara. The farmers are in a state of deep insecurity and anger since they have been repeatedly deceived by the JSWAL, with active collusion of successive governments,' HRF AP State Executive Committee member K Anuradha said. It may be recalled that JSWAL was allotted lands (G.O. Ms No. 892, dt: 28-6-2007) in S. Kota mandal for the refinery-smelter units. JSWAL was to source bauxite through the A.P. Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC) from the Rakthakonda, Galikonda and Chittamgondi hills in the Araku Fifth Schedule region. A full 18 years have gone by and Jindal has failed to set up the refinery and honour its commitments. Importantly, the State government issued orders cancelling the Bauxite Supply Agreement (BSA) with Jindal in 2016. Further, with a view to clearly favour JSWAL, the YSRCP government issued G.O. Ms No. 14 dated 20-2-2023 according permission 'for change of line of activity from Aluminium Refinery Complex to MSME Park/Any other industries in the allocated land of 985.70 acres..', the HRF members pointed out. This arbitrary repurposing raises a fundamental question: Is the government a broker for private capital or custodian of public welfare? Alarmingly, there are reports that this so-called 'MSME Park' will be allotted water from the Thatipudi reservoir. The reservoir is a vital drinking water source to Visakhapatnam city and dozens of villages in its vicinity and is committed to irrigation in over 15,000 acres in the mandals of S. Kota, Jami and Gantyada. The local farmers who have lost livelihood all these years are now agitating peacefully calling on the government to resume the lands given to JSWAL and to distribute it to them since the company has committed a clear breach of trust. Instead of engaging with them, the government has responded with repression by deploying police and curbing their democratic right to protest, said Mr. Krishna. A dalit farmer, Muthyala Sanyasi Rao, one of the key voices against the land injustice, was set upon recently in the dead of night on the Boddavara-Mushidipalli road by masked men and manhandled. He was told that he and his family would face dire consequences if they continued to oppose Jindal. Mr. Rao has lodged a police complaint but there has not been any meaningful investigation so far, HRF AP State president KV Jagannadha Rao said. The members said that the government must scrap G.O. 14, cancel all land allotments made to JSWAL in the area and reclaim the 1166 acres handed to Jindal in 2007 for an alumina refinery complex that never saw the light of day. This land must be distributed to local farmers, many of them from the dalit and adivasi communities, who have suffered multiple displacement, dispossession and neglect and have already lost far too much, the HRF members alleged.
Hans India
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Immediate continuation of doorstep delivery system for PDS sought
Visakhapatnam: Even as the Andhra Pradesh government decided to do away with the door delivery method of supplying essential commodities to beneficiaries under public distribution system (PDS) from June and restore the previous system of dispensing them through fair price shops, it did draw flak from various sections of society. However, the door delivery system was scrapped following a survey that indicated that a section of ration cardholders did not receive essential commodities, discrepancies in the supply mechanism, operational challenges, diversion of goods, lack of manpower to operate vehicles, etc., Expressing concern over the Andhra Pradesh government's recent scrapping of the doorstep delivery system for public distribution of rations, Human Rights Forum (HRF) representatives mentioned that the move will severely undermine the food security of Adivasi communities, particularly those in remote and interior villages of the state. Introduced in 2021, the doorstep delivery model ensured rations were handed over directly to beneficiaries through mobile dispensing units (MDUs), even in remote habitations. This dramatically reduced the travel burden for the elderly, persons with disabilities and daily wage workers. In Adivasi areas, this system was a critical step towards accessible welfare delivery, especially among the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), stressed HRF AP state general secretary Y Rajesh and AP and TG coordination committee member VS Krishna. At several places, Adivasis are now forced to walk up to 10-km across difficult terrain to access rations. The State government's claim that beneficiaries were missing rations under the doorstep system does not align with evidence on the ground, the HRF team pointed out. In fact, a field survey by LibTech India, a policy research organisation, covering 790 Adivasi respondents in the Paderu ITDA region of Alluri Sitarama Raju district found that 83 percent preferred the doorstep delivery system over the depot system for collecting rations. Notably, 92 per cent stated that it had reduced travel distance. While 75 per cent of respondents said under-delivery was a recurring issue at depots, 65 per cent experienced coercion to purchase additional items. Clearly, for many Adivasi families' resident in remote areas, the doorstep system removed significant travel barriers to access ration supplies, the HRF members emphasised. HRF opined that a dual-access model with MDUs as the primary channel and depot-based backup access for those who missed the truck could have been sustained. HRF demanded immediate restoration of the doorstep ration delivery system across all tribal areas, with a provision for depot access to those who miss the MDU. The door delivery model must be strengthened through improved logistics, volunteer support, transparency and robust grievance redress mechanisms.
New Indian Express
11-06-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
HRF condemns Andhra govt's move to extend workday from 8 to 10 hrs
VISAKHAPATNAM: The Human Rights Forum (HRF) has opposed the AP Cabinet's recent approval of the AP Factories Amendment Bill, 2025, which proposes to extend the workday to 10 hours. Terming the move as a serious threat to labour rights, HRF State General Secretary Y Rajesh and HRF member of the AP & Telangana Coordination Committee VS Krishna demanded the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the proposed amendment. The amendment, which seeks to modify provisions under the Factories Act, 1948, has been described by the government as a reform aimed at improving business efficiency. However, HRF argued that the change undermines the progress made over decades through labour struggles for fair and humane working conditions. 'The eight-hour workday has long been a cornerstone of labour rights, not a gift from employers but the outcome of generations of working-class resistance,' the Forum stated. It recalled the role played by BR Ambedkar in shaping and institutionalising this right in the 1940s, and criticised the amendment as a rollback of this significant achievement. According to HRF, the language of 'ease of doing business' is increasingly being used to justify policies that erode labour protections.
