HC seeks video, intelligence report on anti-Sterlite protests in Tuticorin

The Madras High Court today directed the Tamil Nadu government to submit all videos related to the police firing and violence during the anti-Sterlite protests in Tuticorin along with the intelligence report on the prolonged agitation.

Justices C T Selvam and A M Basheer Ahamed of the Madurai Bench directed that the intelligence report regarding the 99-day long agitation be furnished in a sealed cover and posted the matter to July 23.

Hearing a PIL which submitted that a total of 243 cases had been filed regarding the firing and violence, the bench asked why all of them could not be clubbed together.

The agitation by locals seeking closure of the Sterlite's copper smelter unit turned violent on the 100th day, leading to police firing that left 13 people dead on May 22 and 23.

In all, 15 petitions have been filed in the high court in connection with the police firing and violence and all of them had been transferred to the division bench here.

In the latest public interest litigation, petitioner John Vincent sought a direction to club all 243 cases.

The government advocate opposed the plea, saying the petitioner was not connected with the Tuticorin incidents.