A Deputy Tehsildar has claimed that he had ordered police firing that had claimed 13 lives during the protests demanding the closure of the Copper Smelter plant run by the Vedanta Group on Tuesday last.
The FIR filed by the police on May 22 says that Sekar, Deputy Tehsildar of Thoothukudi, admitted that it was he who had ordered the police firing at the protesters after all the other steps to preserve law and order failed.
In the FIR he filed with the police, Sekar said he had at first warned the protesters that force would be used and when his request was defied, he ordered a baton charge. When this proved inadequate and the crowd kept surging forward menacingly and attacked the police personnel, he had ordered the firing of tear gas shells after due warning.
The official said when tear gas shells failed to disperse the violent mob, which was destroying public property and police personnel near the Collectorate, he had ordered firing as the last resort. Twelve persons were killed in police firing on May 22 and the following one more person died in a fresh firing.