Venkaiah defends encounter, says woodcutters repeatedly warned earlier

New Delhi , April 10, 2015: Union Urban Development Minister M.Venkaiah Naidu on Friday defended the Seshachalam encounter earlier this week in which 20 Tamil Nadu wood cutters lost their lives. Addressing a media conference along with Home Minister Rajnath Singh here, he said those who are criticising the encounter should also think of the circumstances that led to it. "We don't have any sympathy towards terrorists and smugglers. Several police officers were killed in and around Hyderabad in the past but no one questioned these things," he said, defending the encounter in Seshachalam forests. Asserting that the Tamil Nadu workers were warned many a time not to venture into the Seshachalam forests, he said they did not stop their illegal activity resulting in the continued smuggling of red sanders. Rajnath Singh told reporters that he spoke to the CMs of both AP and Telangana about the recent encounters. "I will speak to you when I get the complete details," Rajnath said in reply to a question.