Chennai: The Madras high court today transferred to the CBI the probe into the police firing in Tuticorin district during the anti-Sterlite protests that claimed 13 lives and directed the central agency to conclude the investigation in four months.
It also quashed an order detaining six members of Makkal Adhikaram, a Left outfit accused of inciting violence in the district.
The six were arrested under the National Security Act.
A division bench of justices C.T. Selvam and Basheer Ahmed passed the orders on a batch of petitions related to the Tuticorin police firing.
On May 22, the Tuticorin district collectorate was picketed to seek closure of the copper plant of Sterlite, a unit of the Vedanata group, over pollution concerns. Police fired upon the protestors, killed 13 people on May 22 and 23.
The high court had on July 9 directed the state government to furnish a video in its possession allegedly showing some anti-Sterlite protesters with petrol bombs. It observed a CBI probe into the incident would instill confidence in the minds of people.
(PTI)