Release panel’s findings on Thoothukudi firing: CPM

Addressing media persons on Friday, Balakrishnan dubbed the massacre the first brutal attack unleashed by police in Tamil Nadu since Indian independence.
An officer targeting civilians during anti-Sterlite protests in Tuticorin in 2018. (File Photo | PTI)
An officer targeting civilians during anti-Sterlite protests in Tuticorin in 2018. (File Photo | PTI)

MADURAI: CPM State Secretary K Balakrishnan has urged Chief Minister MK Stalin to release the Justice Aruna Jagadeesan Commission’s entire 3,000-page report on the ‘Thoothukudi Massacre’ and take steps for a reprobe by the CBI. Addressing media persons on Friday, Balakrishnan dubbed the massacre the first brutal attack unleashed by police in Tamil Nadu since Indian independence.

“Thirteen persons were murdered and over 200 people were injured. The injured persons are still facing challenges in living normal lives. On the same day as the incident, the CPM and DMK staged protests and demanded the then AIADMK government arrest the police personnel responsible for the incident.

However, the then chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami irresponsibly claimed that he got to know of the incident from TV. Later, the Justice Aruna Jagadeesan Commission was appointed. Though the panel’s report was submitted in May, it was not made public. However, a few excerpts are being released by the media,” he said.

The CPM leader also pointed out that the CBI put the whole blame for the incident on one police inspector in its chargesheet filed at the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on July 18. “That chargesheet was written in the Sterlite copper company’s favour. Action must be taken against the CBI officials who investigated the case. The CPM has filed a petition at the Madras High Court in this regard,” he added.

Balakrishnan also trained his gun on the BJP. “Day by day, the atrocities of BJP are increasing. Dr. Saravanan, who recently joined DMK, has expressed his displeasure over BJP working towards extending the RSS ideologies. “They are working against the minorities, and the police officials are giving them full permission to conduct rallies and protests. Hence, the Chief Minister must intervene in this issue,” he said.

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