Chidambaram hopes police will handle people's stir carefully

Home Minister P Chidambaram today hoped the police would handle people's stir carefully without taking recourse to tough measures like firing even as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa sought to defend the Paramakudi police firing incident which claimed seven lives.

"I hope in future the police would handle the people's agitation carefully without resorting to tough measures like firing," Chidambaram told reporters here.

He, however, declined further comments on the incident saying he could not give his views without knowing about the situation under which it was done.

Chidambaram said the Centre had been advising police officials to handle people's agitation to maximum extent possible without opening fire.

Seven people were killed when police opened fire to quell violence at Paramakudi in Ramanathapuram district yesterday.

Defending the police action, Jayalalithaa said yesterday that they were forced to open fire as protesters attacked police personnel on duty.

"The protesters indulged in large-scale violence and torched police vehicles. Police opened fire in self defence and to protect public property," Jayalalithaa had said.