Superstar Rajinikanth has been summoned to help with the investigation into the violence at the Sterlite factory in Tuticorin that took place in 2018. Thirteen people had died as protesters, demanding permanent closure of Vedanta’s Sterlite copper smelting plant, had clashed with the police.
The one-woman judicial panel investigating the case has now summoned Rajinikanth to inquire about his remark that “anti-social elements” had infiltrated the protest. Retired judge Aruna Jagadeesan had summoned Rajinikanth earlier as well. But the actor had sought exemption from appearance.
Mirroring the line of Tamil Nadu’s ruling AIADMK government, Rajinikanth had blamed anti-social elements for the deaths and asked the state government to “come down hard” on them.
It had hugely upset the locals, who had accused the police of using excessive force.