Chennai: PMK today asked the Tamil Nadu government to hold a detailed investigation into the status of those people who left the state to work as daily wage labourers in Andhra Pradesh against the backdrop of Andhra Pradesh police gunning down 20 woodcutters alleged to be red sanders smugglers.
This probe panel should comprise police officers, advocates and human rights activists among others, party founder S Ramadoss said in a statement here. He said relatives of those who had gone to Andhra Pradesh to work in the construction industry from Villupuram andDharmapuri districts had complained that their whereabouts were not known even as there were allegations that the red sanders mafia had held many of them as bonded labourers.
“Therefore, Tamil Nadu government should hold a detailedinvestigation into the status of those who left Tamil Nadu towork as daily wage labourers in Andhra Pradesh. The governmentshould prepare a list of such persons and find out if they arelodged in prison or held as bonded labourers by red sanderssmugglers or had been killed,” he said.
Expressing concern over the gunning down of the 20 people by Andhra Pradesh police, he slammed the police personnel for their ‘brutality’ and criticised the state government for backing them. He also alleged that the victims were tortured before and after their death, referring to burn marks and other injuries on their bodies.
