Mumbai, May 25: To protest against the Tuticorin violence which claimed 13  lives, the opposition party of Tamil Nadu Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) called a bandh on Friday. Police detained MP Kanimozhi of DMK for calling the statewide bandh. While protesting today, Kanimozhi told reporters that CM Edappadi K. Palaniswami-led government has become 'bloodthirsty' and the chief minister should be held responsible for the incident. Along with Kanimozhi, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) leader Thol Thirumavalavan has also been detained.

To condemn the police action, the party declared a dawn-to-dusk bandh, yesterday. The ruling Congress in Puducherry also announced its support to the day-long strike. Puducherry PWD Minister and PCC president A Namassivayam said on Thursday that the Congress supports the bandh to seek justice for those affected by the police action and to shut the Vedanta's Sterlite unit in Tuticorin. Along with Congress, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, CPI, CPM, Indian Union Muslim League, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, Manithaneya Makkal Katchi and Dravidar Kazhagam also extended their support to the DMK-led bandh.

The Union government has ordered a probe in the police firing. The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh asked for a detailed report on Tuticorin violence. Meanwhile, a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court by the lawyer GS Mani demanding a court-monitored CBI probe into deaths of the protesters during the anti-Sterlite rally on May 25. The plea is likely to come up for a hearing in the next week. Also, to control the law and order situation, a huge police force has been deployed in large numbers at sensitive places and even the internet service in the region has been suspended temporarily. Moreover, section 144 (prevents assembly of more than four people) has been continued in the city, and the electricity supply to Sterlite Copper has been cut off as a preventive measure.

Tuticorin residents are against the Sterlite copper unit, expressing concern about the pollution. A protest was organised to press their demands for the closure of the plant by marching at district collectorate office. However, the month-long protest turned violent on the day of the march. CM Palaniswami in his statement said that the protestors torched police vans and other vehicles parked inside the collectorate office premises. Therefore, to control the situation the police opened fire.

State CM's defensive reply over the police firing drew a lot of flak. Actor turned politician Kamaal Haasan and Rajnikanth held him responsible for the loss of life while DMK has demanded the resignation of CM Palaniswami for the violence.  DMK’s Working President MK Stalin lashed out Tamil Nadu's government over the alleged police firing. He also compared the violence to the Jallainwala Bagh massacre.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 25, 2018 03:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).