Chennai violence: HC asks TN govt to explain

Madras High Court on Monday directed the Tamil Nadu Government to file a detailed counter affidavit on allegations of police excesses on 'peaceful' protesters at Chennai's Marina Beach during the recent pro-jallikattu agitation.

The Madras High Court’s principal seat as well as the Madurai Bench on Monday separately sought its response to allegations of police excess and a demand for an external probe into the incidents.

The police and the government had justified the lathi-charge against the protesters, alleging that a mob had attacked the police and resorted to stone-pelting and arson.

Passing interim orders on petitions filed by two senior advocates seeking a CBI inquiry, Justice R Mahadevan directed state's Advocate General R Muthukumaraswamy to file a detailed counter affidavit within two weeks responding to the petitioners' averments.

Justice A. Selvam, who was leading a Division Bench along with Justice P. Kalaiyarasan in Madurai, questioned why even an elderly woman was not spared by the police at the Marina in Chennai.

Petitioners B Kumar and R Gandhi have sought a CBI inquiry into alleged police excesses against the pro-jallikattu protesters who held a week-long stir at the Marina Beach demanding that the ban on the bull taming sport be lifted.