AP High Court allows Azad’s mom to see his body

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, July 2: The AP High Court on Friday did not grant interim relief sought by the mother of Cherukuri Raj Kumar alias Azad, spokesperson of the CPI Maoist, to shift his body to Hyderabad for autopsy.

However, the judge asked the police to allow Azad’s mother to see the body before commencement of the autopsy.

Azad was killed in an encounter in Adilabad district on Thursday night along with another Maoist leader.

Ms Cherukuri Karuna, mother of Azad, along with Mr P. Vara Vara Rao, revolutionary writer, moved a lunch motion before Justice Seshasayana Reddy seeking an interim relief to shift the body to conduct post mortem at Hyderabad as there was no forensic expert in Adilabad district.

During the hearing the judge asked Mr. Raghunath, counsel for the petitioners, whether Mr Varavara Rao is a relative of the deceased. When the counsel replied in the negative, the judge then wondered how a writ petition by Varavara Rao can be maintained.

The judge said if he wants to file a petition in public spirit he can approach the court through a Public Interest Litigation. The counsel urged the court to confine to the plea of Ms. Karuna.

Advancing his arguments, Mr Raghunath alleged that the police tortured Azad before killing him in an encounter.

Mr S Sriram, special counsel for the government, told the court that two persons were killed in the encounter and one of them was identified as Azad and the identity of another is yet to be established.

He said the post mortem will be conducted at the government area hospital at Mancherial in accordance with the guidelines of the National Human Rights Commission and the police did not have any objection to allow the mother of the deceased to visit the body after conducting the autopsy. He said bodies will be brought to the hospital by Saturday morning and the post mortem will be conducted at 10 am.

Mr. Raghunath objected and urged the court to allow the petitioner to visit the body prior to the autopsy. The petitioner also sought a direction to register a case for culpable homicide and prosecute the police personnel, who were responsible for the encounter.

While issuing the notices to the respondents, the judge asked the police to allow the mother to visit the body before commencing the autopsy.