Thoothukudi police firing: Action taken against 17 cops, says TN govt
CHENNAI: Referring to certain misinformation doing rounds on the action taken on the report by the Aruna Jegadeesan Inquiry Commission, which inquired into the Thoothukudi police firing which claimed 13 lives on May 22, 2018, the state government on Tuesday clarified that departmental action was taken against those indicted by the commission.
The commission submitted its report on May 18, 2022, and the recommendations made by the panel were discussed in the state cabinet, and action was taken against those indicted by the commission. The commission had recommended action against 17 policemen including three IPS officers while castigating the then-district collector for abdicating his responsibility.
An official release listed the action taken by the state government as per the recommendations of the commission. The families of 13 people who lost their lives in the shootout were given Rs 5 lakh each in addition to the assistance already paid to them. Besides, 93 people who were arrested by the police for taking part in the agitations were given Rs 1 lakh each as relief assistance and 38 cases registered against agitators were withdrawn.
Departmental action was taken against IPS officers Shailesh Kumar Yadav and Kapilkumar C Saratkar, SPs Mahendran and Lingathirumaran and two inspectors. Besides, permission has been accorded for registering criminal cases against an inspector, a sub inspector and a head constable. Three first-grade constables were suspended while departmental action was taken against two second-grade constables, one first-grade constable and one constable. The release also said departmental action was taken against then collector of Thoothukudi and three revenue department officials.
The release said Rs 5 lakh was given to the mother of Bharatwaj, who took part in the agitation and died at Palayamkottai Central Prison. The government also ordered issuance of no-objection certificates to those involved in the agitations.