Violence breaks out in TN over girl’s death; police open fire in air

Kallakurichi (TN), July 17: Violence erupted on Sunday near here as protesters, demanding justice for the death of a girl student, went on a rampage and set fire to vehicles, indulged in stone-pelting and ransacked and vandalised her school.
Police opened fire in the air to restrain the violent mobs and prohibitory orders were clamped. With the arrival of police reinforcements from nearby regions, the situation gradually returned to normal.
The investigation into the girl’s death was tranferred to the CB-CID, Director General of Police C Sylendra Babu told reporters here.
As many as as 70 men who were involved in the violence and 2 men and a woman holding senior positions in the school management have all been arrested, Babu said. Those from the school have been held in connection with the girl’s death, he said. Answering a question, he ruled out intelligence failure. As many as 52 police personnel, including officials like DIG (Villupuram) M Pandian, were injured.
Police showed restraint and handled the situation deftly, he said and added that such exemplary handling of the situation ensured that there were no loss of lives.
Chief Minister M K Stalin assured people that persons found guilty in the matter would be punished. AIADMK top leader and former Chief Minister K Palaniswami blamed the police, State government and district administration for negligence and failing to act on time. “Chief Minister Stalin is fully responsible for this.” Had the government ensured prompt action against the school, the situation would not have slipped out of hands, Palaniswami said. BJP accused the DMK regime of ineptness.
State Home Secretary K Phanindra Reddy and DGP Sylendra Babu rushed here from Chennai and inspected the school that bore the burnt of agitators’ anger.
Babu said a case has been booked for offences including violence, damage to property, unlawful assembly and attacking police personnel. (PTI)