At least 11 people were killed in police firing after protests for the closure of Vedanta group's Sterlite Copper plant in Tamil Nadu's Tuticorin
Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) MP Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday sought an answer from former Union Minister P Chidambaram saying the Congress leader was once a paid director in Sterlite.
At least 11 people were killed in police firing after protests for the closure of Vedanta group's Sterlite Copper plant over pollution concerns turned violent in Tamil Nadu's Tuticorin, with the police action drawing opposition criticism.
"P Chidambaram should answer on Sterlite protest incident, he was a paid director in the company for many years. All documents are available. He should now speak up on behalf of Sterlite," Swamy said.
The protests were going on in Tuticorin for over three months now, but violence erupted on Wednesday with agitators fighting pitched battles with police, prompting it to open fire.
Hurling stones and setting government vehicles and public property on fire, the agitators went on the rampage in the town, about 600 km from Tamil Nadu capital Chennai.
Police said nearly 5000 protesters gathered near a local church and insisted on taking out a rally to the district collectorate after they were denied permission to march to the copper smelter plant.
Initial pushing and shoving soon led to violent clashes, after agitated locals began hurling stones at police and overturned a vehicle. Security personnel used batons and burst teargas shells to break up the protest.
Many were injured in stone-pelting by the agitators, who also set some vehicles on fire. Windscreens of some government cars were smashed and bank premises were attacked by the rampaging mobs.
As the violence spiralled, police opened fire, killing 11 people.
Residents and environmentalists have been demonstrating for more than three months against the copper plant in Tuticorin, alleging that it is a major source of pollution and a risk to fisheries.
The plant, one of the largest copper plant in India, has been shut for more than 50 days and will remain closed until at least June 6 because the local pollution regulator has said it is not complying with environmental rules. However, environmental activists and some local politicians want the government to shut the plant permanently.
(With PTI inputs)
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