Anti-Sterlite Protest: FIR Says, Special Deputy Tehsildar Ordered Police Firing in Thoothukudi

Thoothukudi, May 28: Special Deputy Tehsildar of Thoothukudi (Tuticorin) today filed an FIR alleging 20 Tamil organisations for creating chaos at the Collector’s office. According to the FIR copy accessed by the Times Now, the Tehsildar himself filed an FIR in which he held 20 Tamil groups including Makkal Adhikaram and Naam Tamilar Katchi responsible for the chaos at the magistrate office in which 13 people were killed on May 22.

As per the FIR filed by the Tehsildar, around 10,000 people were marching towards the collector’s office with deadly weapons. Police tried lathi charge and even used tear gas shells to disperse the crowd, but failed to control the protesters. It was then Special Deputy Tehsildar ordered the police firing.

The Special Deputy Tehsildar claimed that he ordered firing in order to save lives and the property at the Collector’s office as protesters were marching with deadly weapons. According to the FIR, 13 sections of the Indian Penal Code had been invoked including an attempt to suicide and trespassing. In the FIR it is also mentioned that the protesters outnumbered the police.

A day after deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam visited a hospital in to meet who were injured during the protest, Tamil Nadu governor Banwarilal Purohit will be visiting the port town on Tuesday, reported The Times of India. A total of 13 people were killed in the anti-sterlite protest demanding to shut down of Vedanta's Sterlite unit at Tuticorin. The protesters alleged that the plant is adversely affecting the health of people in and around the area.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 28, 2018 04:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).