Charges have been framed against three revenue officials following the recommendation of the report of Justice Aruna Jagadeesan Commission of Inquiry in connection with the police firing at anti-Sterlite protestors in Thoothukudi in May 2018.
The Commission, which probed the firing incident, asked the government to initiate action against a few police and revenue officials.
Charges have been framed under Rule 17(b) of Tamil Nadu Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules against then Divisional Excise Officer Chandran, then Deputy Tahsildar Sekar and then Zonal Deputy Tahsildar Kannan, who had given orders for police firing to control the mob on May 22, 2018.
Without any order from their higher-ups, the officials had moved to another area where the police opened fire on the fateful day, the Commission said.
As per the report, Sekar was in-charge of Terespuram, Lions Town and Fatima Nagar [all fishermen-concentrated areas], Chandran was in-charge of SAV School Grounds near the Old Bus-Stand, and Kannan had to be monitoring Madathur and the District Pollution Control Board Office.
However, they moved to other areas to give the firing orders.
