Anti-Sterlite protests: MK Stalin protests police action while CM blames Opposition for Thoothukudi violence

CHENNAI/ TUTICORIN: The death toll from police firing at Tuticorin today went up to 13, even as cases were registered against opposition leaders, including DMK's M K Stalin and actor-politician Kamal Haasan for defying probibitory orders, officials said.

Over 100 people were arrested for protesting police firing on Tuesday and Wednesday in the port city that left 13 dead.

Amid a political slugfest over the incidents of police-public clashes, DMK leader Stalin held a sit-in protest at Fort St George, the state secretariat, before being physically lifted and removed by security personnel, while Chief Minister K Palaniswami broke his silence and blamed the opposition for "instigating" violence.

Among those killed were three women, a senior police officer told PTI.

Cases were filed against Stalin, MDMK chief Vaiko, and Kamal Haasan, who recently founded political outfit Makkal Needhi Maiam, for defying prohibitory orders yesterday while visiting a hospital in Tuticorin where those injured in clashes were convalescing.

Over 100 people were arrested in Tuticorin for rioting, setting ablaze and damaging public property, and assaulting police personnel.

Cases under IPC sections and the Tamil Nadu Public Property (Prevention of Damage and Loss) Act were registered against them.

As many as 65 of those arrested were granted bail by a Tuticorin court later in the day.

Sandeep Nanduri and Murali Rambha, meanwhile, assumed charge as the Collector and SP of Tuticorin.

N Venkatesh and P Mahendran, collector and police superintendent respectively were yesterday shunted out of Tuticorin following the violence.

Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from a few places in Tuticorin city where a state-run liqour outlet was ransacked early today.

Normal life continued to be affected for the third day today as modes of public transport including buses, and autos did not ply.

Most shops were shut.

Police in anti-riot gear patrolled the streets as prohibitory orders banning assembly of more than four people continued to be in force.

The government had yesterday ordered suspension of internet services in Tuticorin and adjoining districts of Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari for five days to prevent spread of rumours through social media and help restore peace.

Violent protests had erupted in the city on Tuesday and Wednesday as locals took to streets demanding closure of a copper factory of the Vedanta group over pollution concerns.

When asked who gave the orders for police firing, TN CM EPS said "When someone hits you, you naturally tend to defend yourselves; so on such situations, no one acts in a pre-planned manner." @NewIndianXpress

— T Muruganandham (@muruga_TNIE) May 24, 2018

Demanding the resignation of Palaniswami and sacking of state police chief T K Rajendran over large-scale arson and violence in Tuticorin, about 600 km from state capital Chennai, Stalin staged a sit-in with party MLAs at Fort St George complex.

Even after police removed the agitators from the secretariat premises, they continued the protest at Rajaji Salai, right in front of Fort St George.

Raising slogans like "we want justice" and "shame on the government," the protesters demanded immediate resignation of the Palaniswami government.

A Palaniswami broke his silence and blamed opposition parties and anti-social elements for the violence that brought the city down to its knees.

Terming the incidents as "unfortunate," he condoled the deaths and said all past agitations for the closure of the plant were peaceful.

"This time around it (protest) turned violent. It was due to instigation by some political parties and owing to infiltration by anti-social elements," Palaniswamy, who is under relentless attack from the Opposition, said.

Recalling steps taken by the AIADMK governments for the closure of the plant, Palaniswami said the "deliberate" violence was meant "to bring disrepute to the government and put it under pressure".

He said the state government was making efforts for the closure of the plant since 2013, when late J Jayalalithaa was the chief minister.

"As far as Amma's government is concerned, we respect people's feelings," he said, adding all legal steps were under way to shut the Sterlite plant, and cases were pending before the Supreme Court and High Court.

Replying to a question on who had given permission for the firing, he said there was nothing like permission. 

"It was natural that somebody would act in self-defence when attacked and the action was not pre-meditated. The police used tear gas shells, resorted to lathi charge and then only opened fire when mobs set on fire vehicles near the district collectorate and stormed the residential quarters in the plant and the district collectorate," he said.

Usualy the police make preventive arrests but this time there was sudden violence compared to the peaceful protest that had been going on. The protesters had met the district administration 16 times in the past and their grievances had been addressed. 

TN CM EPS some anti-social elements intruded into the agitation on May 22 and attacked the police; torched the police vehicles; under tense situation; police resorted to firing ; the firing was not pre-plannned @NewIndianXpress

— T Muruganandham (@muruga_TNIE) May 24, 2018

"We express deep condolences and a sense of sorrow over the loss of lives," he said.

Stalin said DMK and ally Congress's MLAs boycotted today's meeting of the Business Advisory Committee of the state legislature ahead of the start of the Assembly session on May 29.

The Leader of Opposition assailed the chief minister for not visiting the families of the victims of police firing, and said the shifting of the district collector and police chief hardly mattered, as it did not amount to any action against them.

"The chief minister is not bothered about the people. He should immediately resign. Director General of Police T K Rajendran must also be removed or he should resign," Stalin said, adding MLAs of his party and ally Congress made these demands at the BAC meeting before walking out.

"The government is in limbo," he said, and demanded a judicial inquiry into the incidents by a sitting judge of the Madras High Court.

The government had yesterday constituted an inquiry commission headed by retired HC judge Aruna Jagadeesan to probe the circumstances leading to violence and subsequent police firing.

(With IANS inputs)