Chennai, Dec 1 (IANS): The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), the political arm of the powerful Vanniyar community, has demanded stringent action and commencement of criminal proceedings against the policemen responsible for firing at Sterlite plant in Thoothukudi that claimed 13 lives.

Dr S. Ramadoss, founder leader of the party, in a statement on Thursday said that the government announced departmental proceedings against the accused policemen and added that it was not required and instead criminal proceedings must be initiated against them.

He said that the policemen of Sathakulam police station who were involved in the brutal killing of a father and son, were facing murder trials and wanted the same to be extended to the policemen of Thoothukudi. He said that the firing at anti-Sterlite protestors must be considered an act of criminal conspiracy and must be treated accordingly.

Ramadoss expressed his disappointment over the state government's clarification that only department action would be taken against the cops involved in firing at the anti-Sterlite protestors.

It may be noted that during the previous AIADMK government, the Thoothukudi police had resorted to firing at a mob who were protesting against the Sterlite plant at Thoothukudi. The police action of May 2018 led to the death of 13 protestors.

The Justice Aruna Jagadeesan commission constituted by the government to study the police excesses at Thoothukudi had named 17 policemen in the firing incident. This includes the then Inspector General of Police (South Zone), Shailesh Kumar Yadav, the then Deputy Inspector General of Police, Kapil Kumar C. Saratkar, the then Thoothukudi SP, P. Mahendran, the then DySp of police, Lingathirumaran. Then inspectors, Hariharan, Parthiban, and Thirumalai are the accused in the case.