Justice Aruna Jegadeesan Commission probing the police firing during the anti-Sterlite protest in Thoothukudi in May 2018 that claimed 13 lives will submit its report by February next year, Commission’s advocate Arul Vadivel Sekar has said.
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Speaking to reporters here at the Commission’s 29th sitting on Friday, Mr. Sekar said the Commission had summoned 1,209 persons and 863 of them had recorded their statements so far by appearing before the Commission, which had marked 1,140 evidences. Summons were served to the witnesses at least 15 days in advance as most of them had moved to other places.
The next sitting of the Commission would commence on September 13 and last for 10 days to examine 120 persons, including the policemen who had opened fire during the protest, and the residents of Sterlite Quarters, which came under attack by the protesters.
“The Collector and the Superintendent of Police, who served here at the time of the protest, will be the last witnesses to appear before the Commission as they will be questioned based on the information being obtained from other witnesses,” Mr. Sekar said.
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He further said the mother of one of the deceased, Justin Francis of Keezha Mudiman, had submitted a petition to the Commission seeking compensation and the appeal had been forwarded to the government.
During the 29th sitting of the Commission that commenced on August 23, 58 persons were summoned to tender their deposition, and 51 of them, including the doctors who treated the injured police personnel, drivers of damaged police vehicles and others, appeared before the Commission.