The first anniversary of the police firing incident in which 13 anti-Sterlite protesters were killed in front of the District Collectorate on May 22 last year (one victim was shot the next day) was observed in the coastal town on Wednesday.
Though the police had earlier denied permission for organising the events marking the occasion, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court allowed the events to be held, subject to a few conditions.
Functions in memory of the victims were conducted at 24 places on Wednesday. In an event organised by the Anti-Sterlite People’s Movement at a hotel near the fishing harbour, Bishop of Thoothukudi RC Diocese Rt. Rev. Stephen Antony, president of Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangangalin Peravai T. Vellaiyan and office-bearers of various political parties took part. The participants lit candles in memory of the 13 people who lost their lives and offered floral tributes to their portraits.
At A. Kumareddiyarpuram, the hamlet where the 99-day protest against the expansion of the Sterlite Copper unit began, decorated portraits of the firing victims were kept under the neem tree which had been the venue of the agitation for over three months. The villagers lit candles in front of the portraits and showered them with flower petals.
Similar events were organised at Pandaarampatti, South Veerapandiapuram, Silverpuram, Subramaniapuram, Madaththur, Meelavittaan, Fatima Nagar, Thomaiyar Church Street, Gandhi Nagar, Puthu Theru, Terespuram, Lourdhammalpuram and other places.
Youth from Puthu Theru planted 13 tree saplings in memory of the victims after offering floral tributes.
The kin of Snowlin, one of the youngest victims of the police firing, conducted a memorial service at Our Lady of Perpetual Help at Lions Town, in which Rt. Rev. Yvon Ambroise, former Bishop of Thoothukudi RC Diocese, led the Holy Mass. Special Holy Masses in memory of the victims were conducted at St. Thomas Church, Gandhi Nagar, Our Lady of Lourdes Church at Lourdhammalpuram and St. Teresa’s Church at Terespuram as well.
Political outfits conducted meetings at their party offices to pay homage to the victims. Veteran CPI leader R. Nallakannu participated in the meeting organised at the DMK office, while CPI(M) State Executive Committee member K. Kanagaraj attended the condolence meeting organised at the party office. Similar meetings were organised by the MDMK, the CPI and the AMMK.
In all the meetings, the participants passed resolutions in favour of creating a memorial for the firing victims and vowed not to allow the reopening of the Sterlite Copper plant.
The police had made elaborate security arrangements in view of the first anniversary of the firing that triggered shock waves across the State.
Led by Inspector General of Police, South Zone, K.P. Shanmuga Rajeswaran, over 3,000 personnel had been deployed in various parts of the town. Additional security arrangements had been made near the Collectorate and also near the closed down Sterlite Copper manufacturing unit at SIPCOT Industrial Complex.
