Left-wing organisations protest over Sterlite deaths

Chennai: Left-wing organisations on Wednesday held a joint protest against the death of 12 people during the anti-Sterlite protests in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu. The protest also saw left-wing student bodies such as Democratic Youth Federation of India, All India Democratic Students’ Organisation participating in it.

People in Thoothukudi are protesting against the company’s expansion plans for the past few months, alleging that it would further pollut the groundwater and cause serious environmental hazards. The protest took a violent turn on Tuesday killing nine and injuring 65 people in police firing.

The Madurai bench of Madras High Court on Wednesday stayed the construction of a new copper smelter by the Sterlite copper mining industry in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi.

Various leaders from the government, as well as the opposition, visited the Thoothukudi today.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has also sought a detailed reply from the Tamil Nadu government within two weeks over police firing during Sterlite protest. (ANI)