Protests against shooting continue

Protests by a few organisations against the police firing on anti-Sterlite protesters in Thoothukudi continued for the second day in Madurai on Thursday.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist), which organised road roko and demonstration in at least three places in the district on Wednesday, staged a demonstration condemning the Tamil Nadu government for the shooting.

Speaking at the protest, party functionaries demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, a commission of inquiry under a serving judge of Madras High Court and a compensation of ₹ 1 crore to each of the families of the deceased. They also demanded permanent closure of Sterlite Copper.

The Joint Action Committee of Tamil Nadu Teachers’ Organisations-Government Employees’ Organisations (JACTTO-GEO) staged a demonstration near the Collectorate, condemning the government for its ‘complete failure’ in handling the protest and demanding the closure of Sterlite Copper.

S. Jayaraja Rajeswaran, district secretary, Tamil Nadu Government Employees’ Association, alleged that the government either remained silent on democratic protests without listening to the demands or used high-handed approach to suppress the protests. “We saw the signs of this high-handed approach in the way the government handled our recent protest in Chennai,” he added.

Terming the killing of 13 people as atrocious, he said that demand to permanently close down Sterlite Copper would henceforth be part of JACTTO-GEO’s demands in all its protests.

Buses stoned

Stones were pelted on government buses in Othakadai, Tallakulam, Anna Nagar, Subramaniapuram and South Gate police limits by unidentified persons on Thursday, police sources said.