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A Raja, the district armed reserve constable, who was seen firing from atop a police vehicle during the 2018 anti-Sterlite protests in Thoothukudi, died on Tuesday, September 29, after undergoing treatment for health complications.
According to reports, Raja had served in the Tamil Nadu police for more than two decades. He joined the police force in 2003 and was serving in the Thoothukudi district armed reserve.
He was recently transferred to the law and order wing at the Kulasekarapattinam police station. However, he had not joined his new posting, as he was undergoing treatment for kidney and liver-related ailments. Raja is survived by his wife and two sons, who are pursuing college education.
Raja came to public attention after photographs and videos of the police firing during the anti-Sterlite protests in May 2018 were widely circulated. One of the photographs showed a policeman wearing a yellow and black T-shirt, standing atop a police vehicle and firing at the protestors. The policeman was later identified as Raja.
The protests against Sterlite Copper had continued for nearly 100 days, with residents demanding the plant be shut down, citing environmental and health concerns.
On May 22, 2018, thousands of protesters marched towards the Thoothukudi District Collectorate. The situation escalated, and the police opened fire on the protesters.
Eleven people were killed on May 22. The firing continued on May 23, when 22-year-old Kaliyappan was killed. Another person who sustained injuries in the firing died in October 2018 while undergoing treatment.
In all, 13 people died in connection with the firing, including 17-year-old Snowlin Jackson. More than 100 people were injured during the two days of police firing.
A Commission, headed by retired judge Aruna Jagadeesan, was constituted to inquire into the circumstances surrounding the firing.
It examined photographs and other evidence from the incident and recommended action against seventeen police personnel, including Raja and other officials, including the district collector and three Deputy Tahsildars.
Later, the Madras High Court ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the firing in 2018. The agency brought charges against police Inspector R Thirumalai and 101 protesters.
Objections were subsequently raised against the findings of the CBI investigation through a protest petition and is currently pending before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court in Madurai.
