Sterlite protest UPDATES: With death toll at ten, Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palaniswami says Thoothukudi police force to open fire.
THOOTHUKUDI: The 100th day of the Sterlite protest took a violent turn after local cops opened fire against protestors leading to the death of ten protestors and injuring of over 50 others.
IN PICTURES | Thoothukudi Sterlite protest turns violent
The protesters were on a rally towards the district collectorate campus opposing Sterlite Copper unit, despite section 144 being clamped in the town area.
Sterlite Protest UPDATES:
DMK working president MK Stalin demands an inquiry commission headed by a sitting High Court judge to probe the Thoothukudi killings. He further urges the government to provide Rs 1 crore for each of the deceased's family.
Palaniswami says a retired judge would inquire into the Thoothukudi police shoot-out.
Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palaniswami announces a solatium of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of those killed in Thoothukudi Sterlite police shoot-out. One person each from the victims' families will get government employment. Those who were injured will be given Rs 3 lakh for serious injuries and Rs 1 lakh for minor injuries.
Most of the bullet wounds on the deceased were above the abdomen.
Out of the ten deceased, nine persons have been identified. Their names are as follows,
Jayaram
Glastin
Kandhaiyya
Tamilarasan
Shanmugham
Antony Selvaraj
Maniraj
Venista
Vinitha
Death toll rises to ten, including three women, in police firing during the Sterlite protest. More than 65 reported injured, including 12 who are seriously injured. The toll is updated as of 5:00 pm.
CM Edappadi Palaniswami says, "Around 20,000 people marched towards Sterlite plant in Thoothukudi and torched police vehicles and vehicles parked inside collectorate. They also pelted stones on collectorate. Since the protestors indulged in violence, the police had to resort to firing to bring the situation under control."
Death toll rises to eight in police firing during the Sterlite protest. The toll is updated as of 3:30 pm.
#SterliteProtest TN CM EPS chairs high-level meeting after #Thoothkudi shoot out; says government will respect feelings of the people and take appropriate action on the Sterlite issue; appeals to people to maintain calm.
— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) May 22, 2018
Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam condemns Thoothukudi shooting - "The protests against the Sterlite plant were taken lightly by the Tamil Nadu government and that attitude is the reason for today's unfortunate events. The citizens are not criminals. They have always been dying, first because of the plant now because of the government's attitude. Everyone please stay calm," the party said in a press release.
Anti-Sterlite protesters set fire vehicles at District Industrial Centre (DIC), pelted stones at the building damaging the glass structures. #SterliteProtest pic.twitter.com/vbjigIhsCD
— Godson Wisely Dass S (@tnie_godson) May 22, 2018
12 protestors (including women) seriously injured, all of whom have been taken to a nearby hospital.
An injured protestor being taken to a nearby hospital. (Karthik Alagu | EPS)
As the mob refused to disperse the cops used tear gas to disperse the protestors near Sterlite employees residential quarters
Two police jeeps were set on fire and more than 10 police vehicles damaged in the violence
In retaliation, angry protestors set Thoothukudi Collector office premises and the quarters of Sterlite employees on fire.
Law and Order ADGP was rushed to Thoothukudi in addition to the battalions from Manimuthaaru and Madurai being called in to control the situation.
The police reportedly opened firing again at 12.50 p.m. As the entire situation unfolded the mob manhandled a freelance photographer's camera and snatched the memory card.
Owing to the Anti-Sterlite campaigners' call for a massive protest against the operations of copper smelter here, several hundreds of protesters rallied to the collectorate campus here on Tuesday. Most shops in Thoothukudi town had downed their shutters accepting the strike call given by Thoothukudi town central traders association.
District collector N Venkatesh issued prohibitory order section 144 in view of the scheduled protest, while granting permission to protest only at the SAV ground near Thoothukudi old bus stand.
Paying no heed to the imposition, the public started gathering at Madathur, St Lady of snows church and other conjunctions to march towards collectorate demanding to stop operation of the copper smelter.
Mob, police clash in Thoothukudi. (EPS)
Over 4,000 police personnel from the nearby district have been deployed to prevent crowding proved futile, as the protesters at various areas breached the barricades and marched forward towards the collectorate.
At Madathur, police had to resort to a mild lathicharge at Madathur to disperse the public gathering. The protesters gheraoed police vehicle at VVD signal while on their way to collectorate.
A large number of protesters marched towards collectorate, the police hurled tear gas in order to bring the situation under control. A section of protesters managed to sneak into collectorate. However, police resorted to lathi charge to drive them away, said sources.