Three killed in police firing against mob of angry Dalits in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: Three persons were killed when the police opened fire on a mob of angry Dalits indulging in arson and stone pelting in Tamil Nadu's Ramanathapuram district on Sunday.

According to reports, trouble began when police arrested TMMK founder John Pandian, who was on the way to Paramakudi to participate in the memorial day observation of Immanuel Sekaran - a Dalit leader. Soon after the arrest, a mob attacked the police, injuring several policemen, including a deputy commissioner of police. A large police contingent has been deployed at Paramakudi and surrounding villages and prohibitory orders have been issued

Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has announced compensation of 1 lakh for the kin of each of the dead. In Madurai too, two persons - Prakash and Balakrishnan - were injured when police opened fire to disperse protesters demanding Pandian's release.

In a statement issued here, Jayalalithaa said in order to maintain law and order in Ramanathapuram, the police had prohibited Pandian from entering the district.

"As he defied the prohibitory orders, the Tuticorin police arrested him," she said.

"The police opened fire in self-defence and to protect public property. The mob attacked the police, threw petrol bombs and torched police vehicles," she said.

The chief minister said: "The police first advised the protesters to disperse. Disregarding the advice, the protesters pelted stones at the police."

According to the police, supporters of Pandian protested on the road in Paramakudi and later started pelting stones, injuring several policemen.

Supporters of Pandian in Paramakudi protested on the road, disrupting traffic.

They then started pelting stones on police and other vehicles. Police initially tried to disperse the protesters by a baton charge and using tear gas shells. However, as the violence grew with the mob setting fire to some police vehicles, police opened fire. Police said around 30 of their men have been injured in the protest.

Meanwhile PMK founder S Ramadoss in a statement has demanded a judicial enquiry into the police firing in Paramakudi and payment of compensation to the families of dead and to those injured in the firing.