Hyderabad: The National Human Rights Commission on Monday directed the AP police to submit the names of all officials who were involved in the April 7 encounter at the Seshachalam forests.

The commission also directed the AP chief secretary and the director general of police to conduct a magisterial inquiry by a judicial magistrate first class under Section 176 (1)(A) of the CrPC. The NHRC took the statements of two survivors of the encounter. The AP police was also warned not to tamper with any evidence or documents during NHRC proceedings.

“The DGP should submit the names of all forest and police officials who were on duty and were part of the STF to the NHRC on or before 22nd April. Postmortem of victims should be conducted as per guidelines issued by NHRC,” stated the release. The NHRC has also asked the police to keep all the weapons used by the task force and the deceased persons in safe custody. “Police register, log books, GD entries and any other documents relating to the incident shall not be destroyed, tampered with or weeded out during the pendency of NHRC proceedings,” stated the commission.

The commission on Monday recorded the statements of two witnesses of the encounter. A third witness could not reach New Delhi to appear before the commission, which deputed an officer to record his statement.

The two witnesses claimed that at least 12 victims had been pulled off a bus by AP policemen and arrested hours before the encounter. As the witnesses were apprehensive about threats to their and their family’s lives, the NHRC ordered the Tamil Nadu police to deploy forces for witness protection.

The commission directed that these two persons, their families and relatives be given police protection by the director general of police, Tamil Nadu. These two persons also stated before the commission that they had given the statement with the help of their respective panchayat presidents. Therefore, the police protection may be extended to the presidents of the Panchayats also,” stated the NHRC in a media release.