CHENNAI: Responding to the demand of House members that the State take action against those responsible for the Thoothukudi police firing, including former CM Edappadi K Palaniswami, CM MK Stalin on Wednesday assured that legal action would be taken and the guilty would be punished.
Several MLAs, during discussion on the Justice Aruna Jegadeesan Commission report on the 2018 firing, urged the government to take action against those responsible for the violence. Stalin termed the firing a black mark in TN’s history and accused the then AIADMK-led government of failing handle the issue properly. He alleged the incident was an example of Palaniswami’s autocratic thinking and so many lives had been lost in due to the AIADMK regime’s arrogance.
Stalin said departmental action is being taken against the then Thoothukudi collector and has been initiated against three revenue officials. Steps are being taken to initiate disciplinary action against Inspector General of Police (South), Tirunelveli range DIG, Thoothukudi district police superintendent, one ADSP, three inspectors, one sub-inspector and seven constables. One inspector and four constables involved in the violence were suspended.
He said `1 lakh was given to the people jailed during the protest and police cases against 38 people, who were not involved in the protest, were withdrawn. He said an additional solatium of `5 lakh would be provided to the kin of the 13 people killed in the firing.
No response from OPS
Meanwhile, a day after the tabling of the Arumughaswami commission report on late CM J Jayalalithaa’s death, embattled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam did not respond to its charges. His supporters R Vaithilingam, JCD Prabhakar and Manoj Pandian addressed reporters on Wednesday.
Asked why Panneerselvam and others who were at the helm of affairs while Jayalalithaa was ailing failed to take her abroad for treatment, Prabhakar said, “Panneerselvam suggested this to the then ministers C Vijayabaskar and SP Velumani. But the next day, a hospital representative said Jayalalithaa would be fine in a week.”