THOOTHUKUDI: As Tamil Nadu remembered the victims of the Thoothukudi police firing, on the second anniversary of the tragedy on Friday, relatives who went to pay their respects at the cemetery were in for a shock. They were met with policemen who said it was mandatory to provide their Aadhaar number before entering inside.
J Vanitha, mother of one of the victims Snowlin, broke down while she was paying homage to her daughter. She said, “Police are asking for Aadhaar card to pay homage to my daughter. Why should I show my Aadhaar card? Are we anti-nationals,” she asked.
Environment activist M Krishnamurthy termed that making Aadhar mandatory is “horrible”. However, police sources said that if they do not follow such strict measures, they would not be able control the crowd at this time of COVID19 pandemic.
Parties slam probe
Meanwhile, members of various political parties, including Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) and Federation of People against Sterlite, claimed that the investigation launched by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the police firing is progressing in a snail’s pace.
Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi tweeted that the incident that happened two years ago has not faded away from the public’s memory. “Justice has not been rendered for the purpose they shed their blood. No gimmick can withstand before public surge,” she tweeted. DMK cadre headed by Thoothukudi MLA Geetha Jeevan paid homage to the police-firing victims at the party office on Ettayapuram road.
Meanwhile, AMMK General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran said, “Even though the case was handed over to the CBI, it is disappointing to note that the premier investigation agency had not even filed a chargesheet. Justice delayed is justice denied. The State and Central governments should exert pressure to ensure that the affected families get justice,” he added.
Federation of People against Sterlite organiser advocate Hari Ragavan said that even though the High Court had ordered to register case against those opened fire at the protesters, the CBI has not yet done so. The CBI had re-registered a case filed in SIPCOT police station in November 2018, after Madurai High Court ordered to register a case. “The case had no mention of the accused or suspects,” said sources.