Tamil Nadu police firing on Dalits: Toll rises to six

With 1 more person succumbing to injuries at a hospital, the death toll in the police firing on a stone-pelting mob of Dalits, who indulged in violence following detention of their leader John Pandian, has risen to 6.

With 1 more person succumbing to injuries at a hospital, the death toll in the police firing on a stone-pelting mob of Dalits, who indulged in violence following detention of their leader John Pandian, has risen to 6.

Clashes between protesters and the police broke out after a Dalit party, Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, blocked roads outside Paramakudi in Ramanathapuram, 530 from Chennai, to express their anger against the detention of their leader John Pandian.

Pandian meant to attend a function to commemorate the death anniversary of Dalit leader Immanuel Sekaran at Paramakudi and the police feared his presence would incite caste tensions.

On Sunday, more than 3,000 people went on the rampage, throwing stones and setting shops, police vehicles and buses ablaze. The police opened fire after two officers were injured, an officer said. Chief minister J Jayalalithaa said the police had opened fire in self-defence.