Panel blames police for firing on 'unarmed' anti-Sterlite protestors

Faults them for shooting without warning, recommends a compensation of Rs 50 lakh to kin of the deceased, including Rs 20 lakh already paid

A commission headed by justice Aruna Jagadeesan, constituted by the government of Tamil Nadu to look into the police firing during the anti-Sterlite protests in Thoothukudi, has blamed the police department for firing against un-armed protestors. It was cited that no notice was issued to warn the protestors ahead of the firing.

The commission also recommended a compensation of Rs 50 lakh to the relatives of the deceased, including the Rs 20 lakh already paid.    

This comes at a time when Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta has decided to sell the Sterlite Copper and has invited expression of interest (EoI) from prospective bidders. Production has been halted since 2018 after protests broke out against the company’s plan to double its annual capacity to 800,000 tonnes. Subsequent police firing resulted in the death of 13 people and injured 102 people in 2018.

The report indicated that police fired on the fleeing protestors, who were unarmed. According to the report, the protestors were only involved in stone pelting and none of the police personnel had sustained any fatal injuries because of that. 

It added that while the officials failed to warn the protestors about firing, non-lethal weapons like teargas shells were not used. The report also recommended action against 17 police officials, including the then South Zone IG, then Tirunelveli DIG and then Thoothukudi SP. It also found faults in the style of former Thoothukudi district collector N Venkatesh.