Chennai: In his letter to AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam said many of the people who died were from Tiruvannamalai and Vellore districts of Tamil Nadu. “While it is possible that these persons may have been engaged in illegal activities, the occurrence of such high casualties in the operation raises concerns about whether the task force personnel acted with adequate restraint,” he wrote.



“Even if the persons had been engaged in illicit tree cutting, efforts could have been made to apprehend them rather than take such drastic action and cause such high casualties."

“In these circumstances, I request you to kindly order a credible and speedy inquiry into the matter so that the facts are established and responsibility fixed for possible human rights violations,” the letter added.