Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee (APCLC) has demanded that the State government unconditionally release 20 tribals, including two civil liberties activists, who were arrested by the police on July 16 at 3.33 am at Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station, Afzalgunj here.
Speaking to the media here on Tuesday, APCLC vice-president D. Suresh Kumar demanded that the government withdraw the cases filed against the tribal and civil liberties workers unconditionally. He also demanded that the State government file cases against the police personnel, who illegally arrested the tribal people, and arrest them under the SC and ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act as the police had obstructed the tribals, who came here to speak truth about Basiguda encounter in Bijapur district of Chhattishgarh.
Demanding that the government release all the 20 persons immediately, revolutionary writer Varavara Rao said that they had arrived in the city to attend a Virasam meeting which was held on Sunday. However, because of some confusion over the date of the meet, they had arrived on Monday, he added.
VV Rao said that the Council for Democratic Rights Organization (CDRO), in association with various human rights associations, is conducting meetings across the nation on fake encounters. He said that the 18 persons came from Bijapur in Chhattisgarh to appear before the fact-finding committee on encounters. APCLC leaders Narayana Rao and Hanumantha Rao went to the MGBS to receive them. The leaders were supposed to go to Raipur to attend a meeting on Tuesday.
APCLC State joint secretary V. Raghunath, Amaraveerula Bandhu Mithrula Sangham convener Ganti Prasadam, Hyderabad city president J. Lingaiah, B.C. Mahasabaha convener U. Sambasivarao, Prajakala Mandali leader J. Koti and G. Padma Kumari were present. (NSS)