Kudankulam claims first casualty, fisherman killed in police firing

11 September, 2012

The otherwise peaceful protests against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) in Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli district turned violent on Monday due to police action. A protester was killed on Monday evening when police fired to disperse the protesters who reportedly tried to attack a police station.

THE RIOT police was mobilised to disperse the protesters at various places in the district. The police used tear gas and resorted to lathi-charge as well as firing at one place. The ‘People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy’ activists reached about 500 metres near the N-plant leading to police action.

In the police action at Kulasekarapattinam in Tuticorin district, a fisherman, Anthony, was killed. According to police, they fired at the violent mob that tried to attack a police station at Kulasekarapattinam.

The police crackdown has led to the intensification of the protest and at many places fisher-folk staged ‘rasta-roko’ protests and blocked trains. The protesters were also angry since the Madras High Court had dismissed all the PILs against the commissioning of the plant.

For the protesters, no other options are left than to continue their more-than-a-year long protest and move the Supreme Court against the High Court's order.