Anti-Sterlite protest: TN advocate demands NHRC to conduct its own probe

A Tamil Nadu based advocate moved a petition in Delhi High Court on Thursday pleading National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to visit Thoothukudi district and conduct an inquiry into the anti-Sterlite protest on its own.

At least 13 people have died in the protest until now, and over 60 have been injured when the agitators in the district started protesting against the construction of a new smelter plant by Sterlite Copper.

The petitioner, Sabrish, has pleaded that NHRC should conduct the probe on its own rather than relying on the reports of local authorities.

The court is likely to hear the petition on Friday.

The NHRC had earlier issued a notice to state police and chief secretary of the state and asked for a report over the killings during anti-Sterlite protest.

People in Thoothukudi are protesting against the company's expansion plans for the past few months, alleging that it would further pollute the groundwater and cause serious environmental hazards.

The protest took a violent turn on Tuesday killing nine and injuring 65 people in police firing. Later four more people died.