CB-CID seals quarters of Sterlite, part of Thoothukudi Collectorate

The May 22 protest against the Sterlite copper smelting unit turned violent after police opened fire at the protesters who were advancing towards the Thoothukudi Collectorate. While the protesters entered the Collectorate, a section of the demonstrators entered the residential quarters of Sterlite, named Tamira-II, and damaged the properties.

Vehicles were set ablaze and the fire rapidly spread to the building, damaging the outer parts of the residential quarters. Even before the incident, many of the workers who stayed in the residential quarters moved out. Also, many workers deserted the quarters after the incident.

Thereafter, the residential quarters remained shut with security guards deployed outside. Meanwhile, the CB-CID sleuths commenced their second phase of investigation on Saturday, in which they focused on collecting evidences from the spots from where incidents of violence and firing were reported. They inspected Thoothukudi Collectorate, where incidents of violence were reported initially, followed by the firing. They also sealed a part of Collectorate where motorcycles were torched and where the firing occurred. As large number of people and government employees visit the Collectorate regularly, they could not seal the entire campus.

The team also visited Anna Nagar, where firing happened on May 23 afternoon, to collect evidence. Police sources said that a team of around 60 sleuths attached to the CB-CID inspected Tamira-II on Sunday and inquired about the incident. They also saw the damaged vehicles in the residential quarters and after checking the fire-affected areas of the building, they sealed the entire campus to preserve the evidences, said the sources.

Bomb squad personnel visited the spot and checked for the presence of any bomb at the spot. The entire Collectorate area and the residential quarters of Sterlite, present nearby, were thoroughly combed by the bomb squads on Sunday.