Thoothukudi stir: Death toll rises to 13

The death toll from police firing on anti-Sterlite protesters in Thoothukudi rose to 13 on Thursday with one more person succumbing to gunshots suffered on Tuesday.

Selvasekar, who was receiving treatment at the District Government Hospital, breathed his last on Thursday morning, doctors said.

Eleven people were killed on Tuesday while a 22-year-old died on Wednesday. With today's death, the toll from the police firing has gone up to 13.

Thoothukudi continues to resemble a ghost town with prohibitory order still in force.

Only police vehicles and ambulances can be seen as most people remained indoors.

The situation has put a lot of people to inconvenience with many households running out of essential supplies.

Sandeep Nanduri, the new collector, said the immediate priority is to restore normalcy in Thoothukudi. He assured that a judicial inquiry will go into every aspect of what happened during the firing, including who ordered the shooting.

Nanduri is planning to visit the government hospital and ensure that all patients get basic amenities.

Asked whether CRPF is being called in, Nanduri said no such decision has been taken but the situation is still tense. He expects the situation to calm down in two to three days.

Case against politicos

The district police on Thursday filed cases against a host of political leaders for defying prohibitory orders while visiting the port city on Wednesday.

Opposition Leader M K Stalin, MDMK chief Vaiko, Tamil Maanila Congress president G K Vasan and actor Kamal Haasan have been booked for using vehicles more than the permitted number when prohibitory orders are in place.

These leaders were in Thoothukudi on Wednesday to meet the injured at the government hospital as well as families of those killed in Tuesday's firing.