Chennai, April 9 (IANS): The Madras High Court on Thursday ordered keeping the bodies of six alleged wood smugglers shot down by Andhra Pradesh Police in a government hospital mortuary till further orders on the issue of re-post mortem.

The court ordered keeping the six bodies in a government hospital mortuary in Tiruvannamalai. The bodies were not to be cremated till Friday.

Twenty alleged wood smugglers were shot down by Andhra Pradesh police on Tuesday in its forests for alleged felling of red sander trees.

On a petition filed by Muniammal, wife of Sasikumar, one of those killed in the shootout, the high court said it could not order re-post mortem in the absence of a first information report (FIR).

The court, however, said it would not object if the Tamil Nadu government decides to go for re-post mortem based on a representation from Muniammal.

The counsel for the Tamil Nadu government said they have no objection to the court ordering a re-post mortem and added that more information would be submitted on the issue on Friday.

According to Muniammal, her husband's body bore injury marks.