Is EPS not guilty of Thoothukudi atrocity, asks DMK

CHENNAI: The ruling-DMK on Saturday held former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami guilty of the Thoothukudi police shooting, which killed 13 people during the previous AIADMK regime.

The DMK, which has been guarded in stating its official position on EPS’ role in the incident since the tabling of the report of Justice Aruna Jagadeesan commission of inquiry in the State Assembly on Tuesday, on Saturday called EPS guilty of the atrocity.

The second part of a series of editorials published by the party mouthpiece ‘Murasoli’ on the issue elaborated the findings of the commission and said that the commission has held that the higher officials in the state police lacked coordination and failed to control the violence. Also, referring to the conclusion of the commission that five persons were gunned down on Thoothukudi district collectorate campus, the DMK party organ drew public attention to the conclusion of the commission that the police had committed excesses and the incidents and situations that prevailed then do not suggest that the shooting was an act of self-defence.

Citing a part of the commission report that the “then Chief Minister came to know of the shooting only through the media would be inaccurate and incorrect,” the Murasoli editorial wondered, “Is Palaniswami not guilty of the atrocity?” The editorial also highlighted the commission’s finding that the victims were shot at while they were running (for cover).