THOOTHUKUDI: Even as police are being criticized for opening fire on anti-Sterlite protesters, as many as 99 police personnel were injured in the violence. Of them, a few were badly injured and are still recuperating at different hospitals.
After the police opened fire on May 22, protesters turned violent and reportedly attacked police at various places in Thoothukudi. The district administration had been alleged to have underestimated the size of the protests and had not deployed sufficient police. Those present were overpowered by protesters. Police sources said that a 25-year-old policeman from Tiruchy battalion had been roughed by the protesters on Palayamkottai road. He was badly injured and is still recuperating, sources added. According to SP Murali Rambha, while 99 police personnel were injured, there were no causalities. Some, however, were seriously injured, he added.
The injured police personnel were treated at Tirunelveli medical college hospital, and later shifted to other districts, following public anger against police. The state government should ensure better treatment and adequate compensation for the injured policemen, said a policeman. However, Henri Tiphane, the executive director Madurai-based People’s Watch, who was part of a volunteer human rights probe, told Express that only few police were injured as per the information shared by the IAS officers monitoring the situation.