Yet more Evidence of Mass Murder From Man on run

Posted on Apr 12, 2015 in Tamil Nadu

J Shanmugha Sundaram

TIRUVANNAMALAI: Five days after 20 woodcutters from Tamil Nadu were gunned down by Red Sander Anti-Smuggling Task Force inside Seshachalam Reserve Forest, yet another (18 to 20 year-old) witness who was arrested and escaped from the clutches of the AP police has come forward with an account of the incident to villagers but remains in hiding out of fear.

Illango, a resident of Melkanavanur in Jamunamaruthur in Jawadhu Hills, had reportedly escaped while in custody at the Nagri Police Station after he, along with five others, was picked by the AP police in Nagri on Monday night.

Ilango provided an account of the incident to his family and neighbours and told them that he managed to escape from the police station because the police campus and grounds on which they were being held was very poorly lit and he made good his escape in the dark. Returning to his village the next day, Ilango claimed that he and five others were rounded up by the Andhra Pradesh police and taken to the police station where they were tied up and beaten by the police in the Nagri Police Station on Monday night.

Ilango thus managed to escape the fate of the five others who were gunned down.

“AP police tortured him and five others after picking them from the bus in Nagri,” Ramasamy of Melkanavanur told Express quoting Illango. Ramasamy’s son Paneerselvam was among the 20 persons shot dead by the police.

Illango, along with five others - S Govindasamy (37), V Vellimuthu (22), C Chinnasamy (47) and G Rajendran (30) of Melkupsanur and R Panneerselvam (25) of Melkanavavoor - from Jamunamaruthur and a few from Chittari Hills in Dharmapuri district were on their way to the Sesha Chalam Forest.

Fearing for the life of the youth, his parents and family members are keeping him in hiding.

“His family is concerned about the safety of his life. They are not willing to disclose his whereabouts,” said Palaniammal, who is leading a preliminary fact-finding team of People’s Watch.

“Illango was petrified after hearing the news of the encounter.  He is fighting to come out of the nightmare,” Ramasamy said and added, “He is not in a state of mind to talk to outsiders and fears stepping out of the house.”

A police official, confirming the villagers’ statement, said, “We inquired with the villagers and our sources and found out that Illango went along with Pannerselvam and five others to Tirupathi. The youth was fortunate to have escaped.”

“He will be crucial evidence along with Sekhar of Murugapadi village, to nullify AP police’s encounter (in the Forest) theory,” the official added.