Nine killed as police fire on anti-Sterlite protesters in Tamil Nadu

Nine people were killed on Tuesday during a protest seeking the closure of Vedanta’s Sterlite Copper unit in Tamil Nadu’s Tuticorin, ANI news agency reported.

The protest turned violent with agitators pelting stones and toppling police vehicles after they were prevented from marching towards the plant. As the violence spiralled, police opened fire, killing a man.

Police said section 144 of CrPc has been invoked in and around the Sterlite unit as per the orders of the Madras High Court.

However, angered over not being allowed to take out a rally, the slogan-shouting protesters forcibly tried to push back the security personnel in riot gear.

They then started hurling stones at police and also overturned a vehicle after which the security personnel lobbed teargas shells to disperse them, they said.

While more than 20 people suffered minor injuries in stone-pelting incident, some vehicles were set on fire, leading to tension in the area, they added.

Meanwhile, a state minister said though the government appreciated the sentiments of the protesters, police firing had become “unavoidable”.

“Entering the collector’s office and (perpetrating) violence is not acceptable…. (police) firing became an unavoidable,” fisheries minister D Jayakumar told reporters in Chennai.

He said chief minister K Palaniswami was “concerned “ over today’s incidents and discussed the matter with officials.

In April, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) had rejected the company’s application seeking renewal of consent to operate the plant.

Board norms were not “properly fulfilled,” by Sterlite, Mohammed Nazimuddin, TNPCB chairman had said in an official release.

The development comes after about a two month long protest by locals against Sterlite over pollution and resultant serious health hazards to the people.

Meanwhile, a peaceful demonstration was held near the old bus stand in the town, also demanding the closure of the Sterlite unit and stopping the proposed expansion of the plant.

Several shops in this town, Srivaikundam and Oddapidaram remained shut in support of the protest, police said.

The district has been witnessing several protests by locals and others against the Sterlite Copper plant here and its proposed expansion.

Protesters have alleged that the plant was polluting ground water in their area.

Sterlite Copper represents the copper unit of Vedanta Limited which operates a 400,000 tonnes per annum-plant in Tuticorin.