By Express News Service

THOOTHUKUDI: The policemen shot to kill. All were hit on head and chest. Most of them died on the spot. Bikes were used by protesters to take the lifeless bodies to nearest Nallathambi Hospital opposite to Thoothkudi Collectorate in a hope that they will survive, recounted an eyewitness. Jai Ganesh (name changed) was unaware about the police firing as he joined the protest in front of the Collectorate. “There was a verbal duel between police and protesters and then firing started. A body fell on my brother’s shoulder,” he said.

Jai Ganesh said that it all started around 9.30 am. “We were notified about the protest. The government had permitted holding meetings against Sterlite but it had imposed Section 144 in sensitive areas,” he said.

Initially, the protestors were split into two groups. One group was holding protest at Old Bus Stand as the government had okayed it. A shamiana was also put there. But then seeing the people defying the odds and rushing towards the collectorate, that group also joined the protesters.

As they neared the Water Tank near VVD signal, a huge posse of police stopped them. This is where the first altercation with police began. Women were attacked by police. Seeing the injured women, the protesters got angry and pelted stones. The police were outnumbered and ran away. Then protesters crossed Third Mile bridge and were stopped near the Highway bridge.

The police fired teargas, but the protesters started pelting stones at policemen. The cops gave in and left the spot. The crowd then set two bikes on fire under the Highway Bridge. As they reached the collectorate, an argument broke out between the cops and the protesters. Around 50 to 60 cops were there. There was first a lathicharge and when it did not stop us, police opened fire without warning.

They fired at chest and head and those who were hit died on the spot. Some were rushed to nearby Nallathambi hospital and from there were rushed to government hospital. I saw most of those hit were motionless. But the firing did not result in dispersal. Most of the protesters angered started pelting stones. The entire area turned into a war zone. It was the phone calls from near and dear ones who heard about police firing and deaths that made people give in their protest,” he said.

Spilling over

Idinthakarai on the boil

Tirunelveli: The angst against the State over the firing at protestors in Thoothukudi spilled over to Tirunelveli, where anti-Koodankulam Plant protestors from Idinthakarai set afire a TASMAC outlet. The war machines were rumbling in the coastal districts with protestors converging at Kuthankuzhi coastal village to decide the next course of action. While sporadic incidents of stone pelting were reported, a government bus came under attack; no casualty was reported. Kanniyakumari Superintendent of Police N Shreenath was camping in Kudankulam to monitor the situation. The superintendent of police said that as apart from the liquor shop incident, situation was normal in Kudankulam area. Meanwhile, TNSTC suspended bus service to Thoothukudi from Tirunelveli. Thoothukudi bound buses from Tiruneveli stopped at Pudukottai in Thoothukudi district.

More arrests

44 arrested for staging protest

Thoothukudi: As many as 44 agitators were arrested for staging protests against the State government and the police department in the city. The detenus were attached to a clutch of Tamil outfits, including Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam. The agitators gathered near Periyar Bus Stand and raised slogans against the State government, police department and also the copper plant. They demanded a Supreme Court judge panel to probe into the firing incident. Later, they attempted to stage a sit-in protest, but were bundled out of the venue by policemen. Earlier, members of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) staged a protest against the police department and the State government, condemning the firing. Lawyers in the district are also planning a mega protest against the incident on Wednesday.