CHENNAI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) charged 71 people for rioting and arson during 2018 protests over environmental concerns at Vedanta Ltd’s copper smelter in Tamil Nadu state, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Thirteen people were killed when police opened fire to beat back the protesters in Thoothukudi town, causing national outrage and the subsequent closure of the Sterlite Copper plant in May 2018 for alleged pollution.
The CBI has framed charges on 17 counts including damage to public property and possession of deadly weapons, Reuters quoted a source as saying. These charges carry a maximum penalty of up to seven years in prison. The charges have not yet been made public. The top law enforcement agency did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.
One policeman has also been charged, another source told reuters, without providing additional details.
Vedanta’s Copper smelter is one of only two major copper smelters in India and it had announced plans to double its capacity, igniting protests from residents and workers worried it would damage the air and water of the town.
The environmental protest was the deadliest in India in a decade, leading to the death of 12 protesters when police opened fire. The police, in their defence, said that they were overwhelmed and opened fire because they feared the protesters were about to attack people in government offices and apartments housing Vedanta workers.
The CBI said in its chargesheet that the protesters were “armed with deadly weapons, committing mischief using fire and explosive substances, using assault and criminal force to deter public servants from discharging duties,” according to the first source. WITH INPUTS FROM REUTERS