Police personnel were deployed at SAV grounds in Thoothukudi on Monday for anti-Sterlite protests. | Photo Credit: N. Rajesh more-in At least one person was feared killed in police firing and several hundreds of protesters and policemen were injured here on Tuesday. A police vehicle was toppled and many private vehicles including two-wheelers were torched and damaged by the mob that took out a rally against a Sterlite copper plant. Violating the prohibitory orders clamped under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in the jurisdiction of Thoothukudi South and SIPCOT police stations, a huge crowd took out a rally against the Sterlite plant. The trouble started after some people hurled stones. The Collector N. Venkatesh had banned the assembly of five or more persons, rallies, public meetings, processions and carrying lethal weapons and flags of caste outfits and entry of hired vehicles with people for any kind of protest from other parts of Thoothukudi district or other districts. Despite police giving warnings over the public address system, when the public marched forward, police resorted to a lathi charge. While it appeared to be a free-for-all situation for at least 30 minutes in the morning, a group of protesters moved towards the Collectorate and pelted stones damaging window panes of the office building. Two bikes were torched underneath the highway bridge on Palai Road. As the situation grew tense, the police opened tear gas to quell the protesters but in vain. According to reports reaching the Government Hospital here, many victims including police personnel had multiple injuries. A strong contingent of 2,500 police personnel were deployed in various parts of the harbour town. The anti-Sterlite movement had announced a rally demanding the State government and the Centre to close down the sterlite plant permanently.

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