Ex-Collector N Venkatesh appears before Aruna Jagadeesan panel

Former Collector of Thoothukudi N Venkatesh appeared before the commission of inquiry led by retired High Court Judge Aruna Jagadeesan in Thoothukudi on Wednesday.

The Commission is probing the police firing, which occurred on May 22 in 2018 when people in large numbers were marching towards the Collectorate in protest against Sterlite Copper. The fateful incident occurred when the IAS officer was formerly of Thoothukudi, sources said.

The ghastly incident claimed the lives of 13 people and left several others, who took part in the rally, injured. During this 34th phase of the inquiry, former Thoothukudi Town ASP S. Selva Nagarathinam was one of the witnesses who appeared before the Commission, sources said.