6 held for violence in anti-Sterlite stir detained under NSA

 Six people arrested for their alleged involvement in the violence during anti-Sterlite protests here last month were today detained under the National Security Act (NSA), police said.The six were arrested on May 22 and are presently lodged in Palayamkottai Central Prison.They were detained under NSA as per the orders of the Home Secretary Niranjan Mardi, police said.

The NSA empowers the Central and State governments to detain a person for maximum period of 12 months to prevent him/her from acting in any manner prejudicial to national security.Thirteen people were killed in police firing on May 22 and 23 after protests for closure of the plant over pollution concerns turned violent in Tuticorin.The Tamil Nadu government had last month appointed a one-person Commission of Inquiry headed by a retired judge of the Madras High Court to probe the violence in Tuticorin.

The State Human Rights Commission has also initiated an inquiry into the issue.On May 28, the government ordered the state Pollution Control Board to seal and "permanently" close the Vedanta group's copper plant, following the violent protests.