Police humiliated anti-Sterlite protesters: NGO
Human rights activists, who voiced their support for families of victims of those killed and injured during the anti-Sterlite rally in Thoothukudi on May 22 last year, have been humiliated by the district administration and Police, Henri Tiphagne, executive director of ‘People’s Watch’, a Madurai based human rights organisation, said.
By : migrator
Update: 2019-05-21 03:24 GMT
Madurai
Sixteen people were killed in the wake of police firing on the fateful day, but aggrieved families of those victims are yet to get any justice, Tiphagne said, after releasing a book on ‘A Year After Thoothukudi Burned’ in Madurai on Monday.
"It is unfortunate that Thoothukudi police have opened history–sheet for the human rights activists, who protested against Sterlite."
Claiming that Thoothukudi SP Murali Rambha was threatening human rights activists over false charges, Tiphagne asked him whether he was brave enough to disclose their names on May 22.
While addressing the media personnel, Tiphagne said the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had miserably failed in its duty after abruptly winding up the police firing case reported in Thoothukudi.
"The Delhi High Court ordered the NHRC to conduct enquiries into the killings, but the NHRC closed the case on October 25 last year based on reasons that the State government gave compensation for the loss of lives and the injured victims."
Moreover, the Madras High Court’s order for the CBI probe into firing and normalcy restored in Thoothukudi were also declared as reasons by the NHRC before closing this case, he said, adding that it was a shame that the NHRC closed the probe into the firing case.
"Families of the victims unanimously wanted to close down Sterlite permanently. The government should concede to their demands," Tiphagne said.
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