Madras High Court Demands Revisit of 2018 Tuticorin Firing Probe

The Madras High Court expressed distress over the 2018 Tuticorin police firing, which resulted in 13 deaths. The court, hearing a petition from activist Henri Tiphagne, directed an independent probe by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption and emphasized the need for future protections against such violence.

The Madras High Court on Monday voiced its distress over the 2018 Tuticorin police firing, where 13 anti-Sterlite protestors lost their lives.

The division bench, consisting of Justices S S Sundar and N Senthilkumar, scrutinized a petition by social activist Henri Tiphagne, demanding the reopening of the National Human Rights Commission's closed investigation into the incident. The court was appalled by the police's actions, stating they chased and fired at fleeing protestors.

Emphasizing that such a situation should never recur, the bench criticized the control exerted by a few individuals during the incident. They stressed that the system's purpose is to safeguard individuals, not threaten them.

The court allotted a three-month timeline to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to independently investigate and submit a report. Cooperation from relevant authorities was mandated, with a specific directive to scrutinize the assets of officers, including IPS and IAS personnel, positioned in Tuticorin at that time.

The court also scheduled a further hearing after three months to review the progress of the case.

In May 2018, a violent anti-Sterlite protest in Tamil Nadu's Tuticorin district led to police firing that tragically killed 13 individuals. Protestors were demanding the closure of a copper smelter unit due to pollution issues.

(With inputs from agencies.)