Anti-Sterlite violence: Rajinikanth may be summoned again, says Commission

Tuticorin(TN), Dec 17: The one person inquiry commission probing the May 2018 anti-Sterlite violence here in which 13 people were killed in police firing, may once again summon top Tamil actor Rajinikanth, following his remarks of "anti-social elements" infiltrating the protest.

According to the Commission's advocate, there is a "likelihood" of the actor being summoned in January, even as the star avoided a personal appearance in February this year following an earlier summon. "There is a likelihood of issuing summon to him in January," the counsel said.

The state government had appointed the commission, headed by retired High Court Judge Aruna Jagadeesan in 2018 to probe the violence, which erupted during a protest seeking permanent closure of Vedanta group's Sterlite Copper plant over alleged pollution issue.

As many as 13 people died after police opened fire to quell the violent mob. Rajinikanth, who had visited the town later to meet the injured, had alleged that anti-social elements had infiltrated the protests that took the violent turn.