Sterlite Protest: 'Who ordered police firing at Sterlite protesters,' asks Stalin

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) working president and Leader of Opposition MK Stalin on Wednesday questioned the police action that led to the 'mass murder of innocent people' who were protesting Vedanta's Sterlite Copper industrial plant in Thoothukudi (Tuticorin) on Tuesday.

DMK leader MK Stalin tweeted a photo of what appears to be a cop in plain clothes pointing his gun at the protesters with the title, "Mass Murder of Innocent People"

"Where does the final accountability lie for the brutal murder of at least 11 Tamils? Will @CMOTamilNadu take action against DGP for failing to maintain law and order? Will Chief Secretary explain her role in this entire episode? Will there be justice for #SterliteProtest?" Stalin wrote.

Questioning the state government role, Stalin asked adequate police presence to maintain law and order was not provided? "Is it accurate to say that there was a total failure of state intelligence which led to these unfortunate deaths? he asked.

MDMK founder Vaiko likened the incident to the British era Jallianwala Bagh massacre, while the CPI(M)'s state unit demanded the chief minister's resignation.

While DMK called the deaths 'brutal murder', MDMK likened the incident to the British era Jallianwala Bagh massacre and Congress called it 'state-sponsored terrorism'.

Meanwhile, actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan has also questioned the decision to open fire at protesters in Tuticorin yesterday. "We must know who ordered this firing. It is not me but the victims who are demanding this. Merely announcing compensation isn't a solution," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI, after he met those wounded at a local hospital in the city.

The Home Ministry has sought a report from the Tamil Nadu government over the situation in Thoothukudi where 12 people were killed yesterday in police firing during anti-Sterlite protests.

The residents of Thoothukudi have been demanding the closure of the Sterlite Copper Smelter for the past 100 days and had decided to take out a march before the Tuticorin District Collectorate on Tuesday.