Bodies of anti-Sterlite protesters will be taken after the plant is shut say relatives

C Shivakumar @ Chennai:

Relatives of the victims of police firing are holding their emotions to bid a final farewell to the Sterlite protesters as they wanted to realize their dream of shutting down the copper plant.

Rajan, father of 18-year-old Snowlin, says that he had gone to the hospital to have one last glimpse of Snowlin, the day she died but he was denied permission. “She did not go in for violence. What is the reason. Why was she shot,” asked the father.

Being firm on not taking back the body of Snowlin till the copper plant is shut, he recalls that his daughter wants to be a lawyer to fight for people’s cause. Snowlin passed her XII board exams and she was one of the leaders of the protest, said her friend. Interestingly, the neighbourhood of Mini Sahayapuram has posters of Snowlin as crowd of youngsters mill around the area.

Similar is the story of Metupatti, where Gladstone’s wife Jesurani has yet to control her tears. The family was lucky to get the glimpse of his body and as they were mourning his death in the hospital, they were asked to leave by the cops. “They were harsh and asked us to vacate the place immediately or they will kill us and make us lie next to him,” said the women.

Interestingly, the family is refusing to accept his body till the Sterlite Copper Plant is closed. “The magistrate had asked us to come to identify the body but we refused,” says Jesurani.

However, tragic is the story of Jhonsi who was fired while she had gone to deliver fish to her daughter. A resident of Therespuram, fishing hamlet, Jhonsi was shot dead while she protested the police firing on protesters. “She was shot point blank,” said Mallika, Women Fishers Society President.

Interestingly, when four of the relatives who had gone to visit the hospital, they were chased away by police. One of them, Johnson, was detained. The relatives said they contacted Johnson through phone but the fisherman said that he has been detained. He even gave the phone to a police woman who rather than answering kept the phone down. “It is police excess,” said Mallika demanding action against Sub inspector of North Police station.

It is learnt from hospital sources that they have only 12 freezers and additions freezers were procured to preserve the bodies which are decomposing. As bodies have been preserved till May 30, it is yet to be known whether the bodies will be taken back with assurances that Sterlite Plant will be shut or the relatives would demand a Government Order that the plant is shut. “We have been cheated time and again and now we want a final decision in this regard,” said a protester.