346 accused presented in open court!

Tirupati: For the first time in the judicial history of the country, 346 persons accused in the murder of two Forest Department officials were presented before the Fifth Additional Junior Civil Judge Naga Venkata Lakshmi at the sprawling Sri Venkateswara University’s Tarakarama Stadium on Tuesday. It may be recalled that two Forest Department officials---Range Officer Sridhar and Beat Officer David-- were brutally killed when they tried to stop the red sanders smugglers in Tirumala forest on December 15 last year. Several other department personnel were also injured. As many as 346 wood-cutters and smugglers were arrested for their alleged involvement in the fatal attack on the two Forest officials. Following the gruesome murder, the police swung into action and arrested the accused from different places. Even in the sensational Chundur massacre case, the police booked 212 persons. But there were 12 criminal cases against them.

Junior Civil Judge Naga Venkata Lakshmi decided to hold the hearing in the stadium keeping in view the large number of accused who were produced before her. The Junior Civil Judge ordered committal of the case to the Sessions Court and adjourned the hearing for two weeks. The accused, who were lodged in different jails, including the Central prisons at Nellore and Kadapa, were brought in three buses amidst tight security around the stadium, as their remand period expired. Among the 256 persons lodged in Nellore prison, there were four minors. One died in the prison. The minors were sent to a juvenile home.

The stadium was jam-packed with people, including police, forest staff, lawyers, media persons, curious onlookers and also relatives of the accused, who were present in good numbers. Elaborate arrangements were made for the hearing. Some women relatives of the accused created a flutter by charging the police with arresting their men who, they claimed, were innocent. A young woman, holding a six-month-old child in her arm, lamented that her husband was whisked away by police when he was returning home after work. Many women complained that police implicated their men, who are coolies, in the case and pleaded for their release. Srinivasulu, DSP, said the open court was conducted to create awareness among the labourers, who help the red sanders smugglers to transport the stolen logs. He claimed that the combing was taken up to create a scare among the offenders. Referring to the red sanders smuggling, the DSP warned of stern action if anyone violated the law.