Police had to baton charge angry protesters in Tuticorin. (Photo/ANI)
A man has been killed and several people reportedly injured as protests against Sterlite Industries in Tamil Nadu's Tuticorin turned violent on Tuesday. Angry protesters pelted stones on policemen and damaged several vehicles.
Police had to baton-charge the protesters to control the situation. The administration has imposed Section 144 in the region to prevent the situation from worsening.
Police said section 144 of CrPc has been invoked in and around the Sterlite unit to provide security to it as per the orders of the Madras High Court.
However, angered over not being allowed to take out a rally, the slogan-shouting protesters forcibly tried to push back the security personnel in riot gear.
They then started hurling stones at police and also overturned a vehicle after which the security personnel lobbed teargas shells to disperse them, they said.
Latest Updates:
2:50 pm: Reports say a 50-year-old man has been killed in violence in Tuticorin where thousands are protesting demanding closure of Sterlite Industries copper unit.
2:42 pm: Protesters resort to stone pelting on police men. Several vehicles damaged.
2:40 pm: Police baton-charge angry protesters in Tuticorin. At least 20 people injured.
Tuticorin: Police baton-charged on protesters who were demanding ban on Sterlite Industries, in wake of the pollution created by them #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/ES0T0YNW4k
— ANI (@ANI) May 22, 2018
The district has been witnessing several protests by locals and others against the Sterlite Copper plant here and its proposed expansion.
Protesters have alleged that the plant was polluting ground water in their area.
Sterlite Copper represents the copper unit of Vedanta Limited which operates a 400,000 tonnes per annum-plant in Tuticorin.
(With inputs from PTI)