Plea in Supreme Court for CBI probe into Thoothukudi violence

A public interest litigation was filed in the Supreme Court on Thursday seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the firing on protesters at Sterlite plant in Thoothukudi on May 22, resulting in the death of more than 10 people and injuries to several others.

Advocate G S Mani termed the killings as "pre-planned murder" by highly influential state police officers and the then district collector with the help of the respondent state.

"The police fired on the civilian protesters as if they were terrorists. They did not follow the police rules as first they have to fire in the air and then in the leg. The video clip and news item clearly shows that the police personal targeted the civilian protesters on the chest and head. So it is clear that it is a case of pre-planned murder," he contended.

In his plea, he sought to direct the CBI to register a case against the superintendent of police, Thoothukudi, the then district collector and other unknown persons or police officers who were responsible for the murder of protesting people.

He also sought monitoring of the probe as there is a likelihood of the accused-officer influencing the investigation and tampering with the evidence.