Indian state shuts down over deaths of 13 people in police firing
Source: Xinhua   2018-05-25 14:30:40

NEW DELHI, May 25 (Xinhua) -- India's southern state of Tamil Nadu came to a halt Friday, following a 12-hour shut down called by opposition parties in protest against the deaths of 13 people in police firing in the port city of Tuticorin.

Most of the busy roads in large parts of the state almost wore a deserted look as schools, colleges and offices were shut and bus services suspended across Tamil Nadu.

The deaths took place when police resorted to firing to control a mob of over 20,000 people who suddenly went on a rampage while staging an anti-pollution protest Tuesday and Wednesday, demanding the closure of a copper smelting plant in Tuticorin.

Police detained a prominent woman leader of state's main opposition DMK party, Kanimozhi, on Friday morning when she arrived in state capital Chennai's Egmore to lead a joint protest with the country's Congress party against the police firing.

"Kanimozhi has been detained to try to hold a peaceful protest in demand for closure of the copper smelting plant," a DMK leader told the media.

Meanwhile, internet services have been snapped in Tuticorin till May 27 and prohibitory orders clamped in the port city as well as two neighboring districts. "We have urged opposition politicians to avoid the port city for the time being," a police official said.

The dawn-to-dusk shut down came a day after the state's environment regulator ordered the closure of Sterlite Copper, owned by London-listed Vedanta Resources, and disconnected power supply to the plant over lack of adherence to certain conditions.

Sterlite Copper's operational license had expired in April and was due for renewal.

The protests against Sterlite Copper have been going on in the city for the past three months, but intensified this, following reports that the company owning the copper smelting plant was seeking renewal of its licence for another five years and even planning an expansion.

Though Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has ordered a judicial inquiry into the shootings, the country's main opposition Congress party has described the deaths as "a brutal example of state-sponsored terrorism."

Some five years back, hundreds of people had to be hospitalised after they complained of breathlessness and nausea, following a gas leak from the plant. Locals claim the plant has been polluting groundwater in the area.

Vedanta has, however, denied all the allegations.

In a video message on Twitter, chairman Anil Agarwal said the company strictly abide by the rules when it came to following anti-pollution norms.

Editor: Liangyu
Related News
Xinhuanet

Indian state shuts down over deaths of 13 people in police firing

Source: Xinhua 2018-05-25 14:30:40
[Editor: huaxia]

NEW DELHI, May 25 (Xinhua) -- India's southern state of Tamil Nadu came to a halt Friday, following a 12-hour shut down called by opposition parties in protest against the deaths of 13 people in police firing in the port city of Tuticorin.

Most of the busy roads in large parts of the state almost wore a deserted look as schools, colleges and offices were shut and bus services suspended across Tamil Nadu.

The deaths took place when police resorted to firing to control a mob of over 20,000 people who suddenly went on a rampage while staging an anti-pollution protest Tuesday and Wednesday, demanding the closure of a copper smelting plant in Tuticorin.

Police detained a prominent woman leader of state's main opposition DMK party, Kanimozhi, on Friday morning when she arrived in state capital Chennai's Egmore to lead a joint protest with the country's Congress party against the police firing.

"Kanimozhi has been detained to try to hold a peaceful protest in demand for closure of the copper smelting plant," a DMK leader told the media.

Meanwhile, internet services have been snapped in Tuticorin till May 27 and prohibitory orders clamped in the port city as well as two neighboring districts. "We have urged opposition politicians to avoid the port city for the time being," a police official said.

The dawn-to-dusk shut down came a day after the state's environment regulator ordered the closure of Sterlite Copper, owned by London-listed Vedanta Resources, and disconnected power supply to the plant over lack of adherence to certain conditions.

Sterlite Copper's operational license had expired in April and was due for renewal.

The protests against Sterlite Copper have been going on in the city for the past three months, but intensified this, following reports that the company owning the copper smelting plant was seeking renewal of its licence for another five years and even planning an expansion.

Though Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has ordered a judicial inquiry into the shootings, the country's main opposition Congress party has described the deaths as "a brutal example of state-sponsored terrorism."

Some five years back, hundreds of people had to be hospitalised after they complained of breathlessness and nausea, following a gas leak from the plant. Locals claim the plant has been polluting groundwater in the area.

Vedanta has, however, denied all the allegations.

In a video message on Twitter, chairman Anil Agarwal said the company strictly abide by the rules when it came to following anti-pollution norms.

[Editor: huaxia]
010020070750000000000000011100001372058701