india

Updated: Dec 25, 2018 14:01 IST

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday began examining Tamil Nadu police officers and the Revenue Department in its ongoing investigation into the anti-Sterlite protests case. The case dates back to May 2018 when the police had opened fire on the protesters leaving 13 dead and more than 40 injured.

As part of its investigation, the CBI on Tuesday took collected the documents related to the 15 weapons that had been used in the firing. Apart from examining the Tamil Nadu police officials and Revenue department officers, the CBI also began recording statements of the families of the victims.

Among the documents collected by the CBI are the ones which specify on whose order the 15 weapons were issued. The documents also include details of who had signed and collected the weapons, and who ordered the firing on the protesters which killed 13 protesters and left 40 others injured in the anti-Sterlite protests.

The CBI investigation is now looking into the police firing after reports indicated that the 13 protesters who had been killed in the protests were hit by bullets in the head or chest and half of those were shot from behind.

The autopsy reports of the deceased had indicated that two others had died when bullets pierced the sides of their heads.

The Tamil Nadu police had opened fire on protesters on the 100th day of protests at the Sterlite copper plant, a unit of the Vedanta group. The protest had been organised against purported pollution concerns. The 13 deaths had drawn widespread condemnation by opposition political parties.

The case was handed over the CBI on August 14 by the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court which was hearing a batch of petitions related to the police firing.