Two witnesses, who have claimed that Andhra Pradesh Police staged the killing of 20 woodcutters last week, on Monday appeared before the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
NHRC Chairman K.G. Balakrishnan directed recording of statements of the two witnesses.
"I have directed to record their statements and we will take action based on their statements," he told the media.
NHRC officials said the two had appeared before the human rights watchdog on their own and were not called.
The rights body has issued a suo moto notice to the Andhra Pradesh government on the alleged police action.
Twenty alleged red sandalwood smugglers, from neighbouring Tamil Nadu, were gunned down by police in Seshachalam forests in Andhra Pradesh's Chittoor district on April 7.