3rd anniv of firing observed

MADURAI: The third anniversary of the anti-Sterlite protest was observed in parts of Thoothukudi on Saturday.

It’s the same day in 2018 when scores of people in Thoothukudi marched towards Collectorate as part of protest rally, which turned violent and claimed the lives of fifteen and left many injured after the police opened fire to bring the situation under control, against Sterlite Copper. The death of the victims, who sacrificed their lives, drew emotional tributes from their parents and relatives on the anniversary.

At Kumareddiyapuram village in Thoothukudi, mourners offered candle lit prayers and paid floral tributes on the portraits of victims. Similarly, tributes were paid at Therkku Veerapandiapuram, Pandarampatti, Silverpuram, Madathur, Fathima Nagar, Gandhi Nagar, Lions Town, Boopalarayerpuram and also at Fishing harbor, sources said.

M Krishnamurthy, anti-Sterlite protester, Thoothukudi, demanded the state government to establish a memorial for the victims in Thoothukudi centre and sought action against those behind the deaths of the victims.

DMK cadres led by MK Kanimozhi, Thoothukudi MP offered tributes to the victims at the party office in Thoothukudi in the presence of P. Geetha Jeevan, Thoothukudi MLA and silently mourned their deaths. Talking to reporters, Kanimozhi said based on the submission of an interim report of the retired Justice Aruna Jegadeesan Commission of inquiry into the anti-Sterlite protest, to Chief Minister MK Stalin on May 14, appointment orders for government jobs were given to the kin of the victims and cases against the protesters have been withdrawn after analyzing the report.

The long pending demands for providing jobs based on their educational qualifications were fulfilled by the Chief Minister, the MP said.