Three days after the police firing on anti-Sterlite protesters in Thoothukudi, the kin of the deceased remain shaken and angry.
Family members of J. Snowlin, a 17-year-old class XII student who was killed in the firing, recalled that she was vociferous during the protests and had challenged the police while taking part in the massive procession that was heading towards the Collectorate on that fateful day. A resident of Lion’s Town, Snowlin was the youngest protester to have died during the violence.
“It was almost like she was leading a group of people in the huge crowd,” her elder brother Godwin, who works as a seaman in Saudi Arabia, said. A Law degree aspirant, she was the darling of her siblings and her parents, and had voluntarily participated in the protest.
Stating that her family members were not after the ₹10 lakh compensation or the government job announced by the State, he said their only demand was the permanent closure of the plant.
Thirty four-year-old S. Maniraj’s attempt to visit his wife, who was at his in-laws’ place, proved fatal. “He got married only three months ago. He left our house to visit his wife Petchiammal at Anna Nagar, when he got caught in the crowd of the procession,” said his brother Kannan.
Mr. Kannan said the police had shot down people like sparrows. He demanded strong action against the then Collector and SP, who have since been transferred.
B. Ranjith Kumar, 22, of Puspha Nagar, a boxer, left home with his friend on May 22, never to return. “We thought it was one of his routine outings. To our dismay, we heard about his death,” his father Baskar said.
J. Antony Selvaraj, 47, had gone to meet his wife at Teachers’ Colony, but fell to the bullet.
“Some people had torched police vehicles and the police shot down my son, who had nothing to do with the protest or violence,” said Jospeh Stalin, his father.
Jansi, 48, was killed when a bullet pierced her skull. “Her husband Jesubalan, a fisherman, is not able to speak due to the shock,” said their neighbour S. Malliga.
“The couple never participated in any protest. After all the rioting at the Collectorate, the police came here, claiming that only fishermen from Threspuram were behind the violence, and started beating people,” she said.
