Thoothukudi Anti-Sterlite Protests: CBI Books 20 Organisations For Rioting And Attempt-To-Murder

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday (8 October) filed cases against people belonging to 20 organisations in Tamil Nadu in connection with anti-Sterlite protests in Thoothukudi on 22 and 23 May, Times of India has reported.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the offences include rioting, disobedience, voluntarily causing hurt, assault to deter a public official from discharging their duty, trespassing, and attempt to murder.

The FIR stated that the sub-collector of Thoothukudi held a meeting on 20 May informing protesters that some groups may indulge in violence and that a permission for a protest on 22 May could not be granted due to “chances of a law and order problem”.

However, a group of protesters went ahead with the protest at the collector’s office on 22 May, following which prohibitory orders were imposed from 21 May to 23 May. Despite this, protesters belonging to Naam Thamizhar, Makkal Adhikaram, Puratchigara Ilaigner Munnani and other organisations breached security barricades and marched towards the Collector’s office, the FIR said.

The FIR said that some protesters tried to enter the collector’s office by hurling stones and petrol bombs. Police used tear gas to disperse the mob, but the protesters “attacked police with deadly weapons and stones”.

Violence broke out during the protests on 22 May, resulting in the Tamil Nadu government ordering the plant shut on 28 May. Protests demanding closure of Vedanta Resources Group’s Sterlite Plant in Thoothukudi began in February on the grounds that the unit was contaminating ground and water. However, the company has said that it has strictly adhered to the environment parameters stipulated for it.

The copper plant, which has the capacity to produce 4.38 lakh tonnes of copper per annum, or 1,200 tonnes per day, made up nearly 40 per cent of the country’s refined copper production.