Global InformationThoothukudi violence information
| Thoothukudi Massacre[1] | |
|---|---|
 Protesters in large numbers take out a march against the Sterlite copper plant on 22 May 2018 | |
  Location of Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu | |
| Location | Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Coordinates | 8°47′03″N 78°05′57″E / 8.784117°N 78.099142°E |
| Date | 22 May 2018 (UTC +5:30) |
| Target | Protestors against Sterlite Copper |
Attack type | Shooting |
| Weapons | L1A1 SLR battle rifle[2][3] |
| Deaths | 13[4] |
| Injured | 102[4] |
| Perpetrators | Tamil Nadu Police & Paramilitary forces |
Thoothukudi massacre[1] (also known as the Thoothukudi police firing, the Anti Sterlite protest firing[5] and so on) denotes events that took place on 22 and 23 May 2018 in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India. The violence took place during an ongoing protest against proposed expansion of a copper smelter plant run by Sterlite Corporation in Thoothukudi town. Police opened fire on the protesters, killed 13 people and left 102 injured. Several policemen were also injured during the protests.[6][7][8][9][10]
On 22 May morning, the 100th day of the anti-Sterlite protests, thousands of people marched towards the Thoothukudi Collectorate, against legal prohibitory orders passed by the district administration.[11] The agitated protesters overpowered police, started pelting stones and torched vehicles.[12][13][8] Police opened fire killing 12 persons on 22 May, at various places in Thoothukudi Town and as the protest continued, one more person was shot dead on 23 May.[12][14][15] In a related incident, a woman was killed when miscreants, during Anti Sterlite protests torched a bus on 25 May at Srivaikuntam.[16][17] Another man died after 5 months of being in coma in October 2018, after getting injured in lathi-charge by police.[18]
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in November 2018, registered cases on several unidentified police personnel and revenue department officials of Tamil Nadu for the death of the 14 protesters, including cases of criminal intimidation and criminal conspiracy.[19] The United nations condemned the firing by the police as excessive and disproportionate.[20] On 19 August 2022, The Justice Aruna Jagadeesan Commission of Inquiry recommended Tamil Nadu government to take action against top police officials for “excessive lethal force” by police on the protestors.[21]
- ^ a b "Thoothukudi massacre is a tragic reminder that India is in the grip of a state-corporate nexus". 27 May 2018.
- ^ அந்தோணி, எம் குமரேசன்,ஜார்ஜ் (23 May 2018). "தூத்துக்குடியில் 11 பேரின் உயிரை குடித்த துப்பாக்கி இதுதான்..!". www.vikatan.com/.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "The police firing in Thoothukudi: Intelligence failure or deliberate assault?". 24 May 2018.
- ^ a b "Anti-Sterlite protests: 13 dead, 102 injured in Thoothukudi; electricity supply to Sterlite Industries cut off". 24 May 2018.
- ^ "What is anti-Sterlite protest?". 22 May 2018.
- ^ Thangavelu, Dharani (25 May 2018). "Sterlite protests: Thoothukudi limping back to normalcy but anguish, pain remain". Livemint. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
- ^ "Nine die in India environment protests". BBC News. 22 May 2018.
- ^ a b Staff Reporter (22 May 2018). "Victims with bleeding injuries and gunshot wounds at Thoothukudi GH". The Hindu – via www.thehindu.com.
- ^ Jagannath, G. (22 May 2018). "9 dead in police firing during anti-Sterlite protest in Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi". DNA India.
- ^ Joseph, J. Praveen Paul (22 May 2018). "10 killed in police firing as anti-Sterlite rally turns violent in Thoothukudi". The Hindu – via thehindu.com.
- ^ "Anti-Sterlite protests: Imposition of Sec 144 was not known to public in Thoothukudi, reveals report". The New Indian Express.
- ^ a b "Sterlite protest: 13 dead, over 100 hurt; Harsh Vardhan to look into matter". Business Standard. 25 May 2018.
- ^ "No Warning: Witnesses describe how police shot and killed smelter protesters in Thoothukudi". 4 June 2018 – via in.reuters.com.
- ^ "One More Dies in Police Firing as Tuticorin Burns For the Second Day, Death Toll Rises to 12". News18. 23 May 2018.
- ^ Joseph, J. Praveen Paul (23 May 2018). "One more killed in fresh firing in Thoothukudi". The Hindu – via www.thehindu.com.
- ^ "Bus torching case: Injured woman dies in hospital". Times of India.
- ^ Staff Reporter (4 June 2018). "'Arrest anti-Sterlite protesters who set bus on fire'". The Hindu – via www.thehindu.com.
- ^ P, Chennabasaveshwar (16 October 2018). "Person injured during anti-Sterlite protests dies after 5 months". oneindia.com. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
- ^ Scroll Staff (29 November 2018). "Thoothukudi killings: CBI registers case against police and revenue department officials". Scroll.in. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
- ^ "UN experts condemn deadly police response to protest against copper smelting plant in India, call for probe". United Nations - Human Rights. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
- ^ "Probe Panel on Thoothukudi Firing Says Police Shot At 'Fleeing Protesters Unprovoked': Report". The Wire. 19 August 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022.