CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Monday orally observed that it was unable to digest the 2018 Tuticorin police firing against anti-Sterlite protestors, in which 13 persons were killed.
A division bench comprising Justices S S Sundar and N Senthilkumar made the observation while hearing a petition from social activist Henri Tiphagne, seeking to reopen the probe closed by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) into the incident.
The bench said when the people were running, the police chased them and opened fire. "Our vision is purely public interest".
People were threatened, their houses were searched. "How could this happen". People were afraid of identifying themselves as victims, the bench added.
The bench said this situation should never happen in future.
"The whole situation was controlled by a few individuals. The entire system is to protect the individuals", the bench added.
Granting three months' time to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption to conduct an independent enquiry and file a report, the bench directed the other authorities to extend their co-operation to the DVAC.
The bench posted after three months, further hearing of the case.
The bench had earlier directed the DVAC to probe the assets of all the officers including IPS and IAS officers who were posted in Tuticorin at the relevant point of time.
In May 2018, police opened fire at protestors in Tamil Nadu's Tuticorin district, after the anti-Sterlite agitation turned violent, leaving 13 persons dead. The protestors were demanding for the closure of the copper smelter unit over pollution concerns.