Madras High Court says those responsible for 2018 Sterlite firing should be "prosecuted for murder”

In a significant ruling, the Madras High Court directed that those responsible for the 2018 Sterlite firing in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, should be prosecuted for murder under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. The court rejected the state's plea for a departmental inquiry, emphasizing that the incident cannot be treated as a mere law and order problem but as a serious crime. The court's decision came in response to petitions seeking independent probe into the deaths of 13 protesters during police firing at the Sterlite plant. This ruling underscores judicial scrutiny over the accountability of authorities in handling public protests and reflects broader implications for police actions in similar contexts.