Four persons, including two children and a woman, were injured when a group of anti-Sterlite protesters threw stones on the vehicles carrying workers and their family members on Thursday. They were going to the Collectorate to submit a petition.
Appealing to the government to issue the ‘consent to operate’ to Sterlite Copper to ensure its unhindered functioning, workers of the unit, contract labourers and their family members, who gathered near the main entrance of the factory, staged a dharna for a while on Thursday.
Later, a section of the protesters took two buses to submit a memorandum to the Collector.
Buses damaged
When the buses were crossing the Madaththur intersection on the Thoothukudi – Madurai Bypass Road, a group of anti-Sterlite protesters intercepted the vehicles. As a few of them pelted stones on two buses, the windscreens were damaged.
Two children, a woman and bus driver Shakthi were injured. The protesters snatched away the key from the driver of a van, carrying the staff of Sterlite Copper. The police, led by Inspector of Police of Sipcot police station Hariharan, arrived there and warned the protesters to leave the spot.
When reporters and photographers covered the attack, the anti-Sterlite protesters abused them and pelted stones on a car carrying a few reporters. Though a complaint was lodged, no one was arrested in this connection so far.
On behalf of Sterlite Copper, another complaint was filed with the Sipcot police in connection with the attack on the vehicles.
