Exonerating the personnel in khaki for the September 2011 police firing at Paramakudi, which claimed seven lives, the Justice K Sampath Commission, however, hauled up some of the police officers, saying their post-riot conduct was disgraceful.
The State government accepted most of the recommendations of the panel. Among those rejected were the disparaging remarks about the police personnel.
“Had the police not resorted to firing to quell the savage mob, there would have been a far greater loss both to human lives and property. Also, the violence would have spread to other southern districts,” said the report tabled in the State Assembly on Wednesday.
It concluded that having exhausted every other means to put down the riots, the Paramakudi tahsildar, who was the executive magistrate on the spot, gave orders for firing after due warning. As such, it was very much a case of self-defence as contemplated under Section 96 of the IPC. “In sum, the force used by the enforcers of law was absolutely warranted to maintain peace and restore normalcy. In other words, the police firing is justified,” the report said.
The Commission noted that though police behaved with exemplary restraint during the riots, the conduct of some of them after the riots were quelled was disgraceful and at variance with the prescription of the Police Standing Orders, as could be seen from the fact that several rioters were beaten up by police after they were rounded up. The Commission further said the behaviour of the crowd was unpardonable and culprits should be punished.
Recalling the circumstances that led to the police firing, the panel said, “The detention of John Pandian, no doubt for valid reasons, sparked the agitations, resulting in a road roko demanding his release. Further, the antipathy between the two factions — Dr Krishnasamy’s followers and John Pandian’s supporters was fanned by the latter blocking the former’s way and picking up a fight with them.”