Sterlite firing to be probed by CBI
The Madurai bench of Madras High Court on Tuesday transferred all cases pertaining to the Thoothukudi Sterlite police firing in which 13 people were killed on May 22 to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Justice C T Selvam and Basheer Ahamed also quashed the detention of six members of Makkal Adhikaram by the police under the National Security Act for allegedly instigating violence.
The bench also transferred all the anti-Sterlite violence cases to CBI and ordered for a fresh probe by the country’s top investigation agency.
The copper smelter plant owned by Vedanta Ltd located in Tuticorin hit the headlines following daily protests for 100 days and on May 22, a massive protest was held by the local residents which triggered a major violence forcing the police to open fire.
About 60 persons were injured in the police firing and so far the Tamil Nadu police have registered a total of 173 FIRs.
According to Thoothukudi police, deputy tahsildar Sekar ordered police firing on May 22 against the protesters to control the unruly crowd which picketed district collectorate and the Sterlite housing quarters endangering what it said was public life and property.
In the police firing, 13 people, including women, were killed on May 22 and 23.
Last month, the high court also directed the state government to furnish videos in its possession allegedly showing the protesters instigating violence with petrol bombs.
The court had also observed why a Central Bureau of Investigation probe should not be ordered into the violence and said that Central Bureau of Investigation probe will instil confidence in public minds.
Early this month, the court also quashed the National Security Act invoked against advocate Hari Raghavan who had appeared for the protesters.
The court also summoned the Thoothukudi district collector Sandeep Nanduri and directed the collector not to register cases against villagers who had protested against the Sterlite plant.
“The Court has given its order for the Central Bureau of Investigation probe and the government will meet to decide on the next course of action,” state minister D Jayakumar said responding to the Madras High Court order.
CHENNAI: CHANDIGARH