By TCN News,
Chennai: The death toll in the police firing in the Ramanathapuram district in Tamil Nadu has risen to seven. Meanwhile state Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has ordered for a judicial probe unto the firing. However, reported suggest that an uneasy calm is now prevailing in the affected areas in Ramanathapuram and Madurai districts. The district administration reportedly claims that situation has been brought under control.
The Chief Minister has announced that a judicial probe by a retired High Court judge would be made into the incident. Earlier the government had announced probe by the RDO, but had to make it a judicial probe following the insistence of opposition parties like the CPI, CPI (M) and Puthiya Thamizhagam.
Police lathicharge protestors in Paramakudi on Sunday. [Photo Courtesy: The hindu]
Problems occurred when the police detained John Pandian, president of the Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, who was on his way to attend a programme in connection with the death anniversary of Dalit leader and freedom fighter Emmanuel Sekharan on Sunday. When the news of the detention spread, Dalits took to streets in various parts of Ramanathapuram and Madurai districts. When the attempt to disperse the mob failed even after breaking tear gas shells, police took to firing in Paramakudi in Ramanathapuram which took the lives of seven, according to reports.
Four people had died in Paramakudi and one in Ilayankudi on Sunday itself. The other two people who were seriously injured died yesterday. Around 15 policemen including the DIG were injured when the mob pelted stones in Paramakudi. Several shops and vehicles including that of the police were also reportedly set on fire by the protesters.
Prohibitory orders had already been reportedly clamped in Ramanathapuram district following the murder of a Plus One student named Palanivel in Kamudi on Saturday. The boy was killed by unknown persons and there was tension in the place. There have been reports that the Dlait leader John Pandian would visit the house of the murdered boy and the police detained him in Thirunelveli itself when he was on his way to Ramanathapuram, fearing more tension in the area. But, the detention ultimately led to protests and the unfortunate incidents.
The activists of the Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam who were going to Madurai to attend the programmes in connection with the death anniversary of Emmanuel Sekharan were stopped by the police. This led to protests in Madurai and later led to police firing. However, police reportedly accuse that problems occurred when the protesters tried to attack policewomen.
However, the new reports suggest that the situations have been brought under control and that there are no more untoward incidents in the affected areas.