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On 27 January 2012, human rights defender and trade union leader Mr Murali Mohan was beaten to death by police officers outside the Regency Ceramics Limited factory in Yanam, Andhra Pradesh State.

Murali Mohan founded the factory's trade union and fought peacefully for workers' rights and for better wages and staff regularisation.

On the night of 26 January 2012, Murali Mohan was picked up at his home by Yanam police officers, allegedly acting on a complaint made by the management of Regency Ceramics Limited, before being released some hours later. At approximately 6 am on the morning of 27 January 2012, the human rights defender, accompanied by other workers, went to the factory. Police officers who were present there attacked Murali Mohan with batons causing him to collapse. He was then taken to the local hospital by police where he later died.

Murali Mohan and four others had been suspended from their posts on 2 January 2012 for their involvement in the trade union. Since their dismissal the agitation of the workers grew stronger and more workers had taken to the streets in protest.

Regency Ceramics Limited is the biggest company in Yanam and employs 1,200 workers. Recently, the trade union led by Murali Mohan had been demanding the regularisation of - at a minimum - staff who had been employed by the company for the past 15 years. The management of the company had reportedly harassed some of the workers following the foundation of the trade union on 25 January 2010. The management applied to court challenging the legality of the union and the registration of the union was subsequently cancelled. However, the workers called on Murali Mohan to lead them in their protest for the promotion and protection of their rights.

Front Line Defenders believes that the deadly attack on Murali Mohan is directly related to his work in defence of human rights and in particular the workers' rights at the Regency Ceramics Limited factory in Yanam. Front Line Defenders is concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of other human rights defenders involved in the aforementioned company's trade union.