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1 killed in police firing as Coimbatore violence unabated

The police opened fire at two places in Coimbatore today, killing one person.

As the communal violence in the textile city continued, increasing the toll since Saturday to 13, the Tamil Nadu government ordered a judicial inquiry into the incidents.

Announcing this in Madras, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi told the media that former Gujarat high court chief justice P R Gokulakrishnan would inquire into the communal violence and the subsequent police firing. The one-man commission would submit its report in three months.

The police opened fire at Pachapalayam on the city outskirts, to disperse a mob which attacked a milk van, killing one person. Another person was injured when police resorted to firing at Selvapuram to disperse two clashing groups.

Normal life remained paralysed with shops, hotels and other establishments closed. Buses were off the road.

Work in banks in several parts of the city was also affected.

Police personnel, who refused to carry out duties assigned to them in the wake of a constable's murder on Saturday night, abstained from duty today also.

The army and the Central Reserve Police Force personnel have been deployed in trouble-prone areas to maintain law and order.

About 400 family members of police personnel squatted on the road in front of the city police commissioner's office demanding adequate protection to them and immediate arrest of those responsible for the constable's murder.

All schools and colleges in the city have been closed for two days. Cinema theatres and liquor shops have been directed to down shutters for two days.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party state unit today demanded a white paper on the activities of fundamentalist organisations.

State BJP general secretary L Ganesan welcoming the state government's decision to institute a judicial inquiry into the violent incidents.

UNI

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