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.
In a related development, the court's Madurai bench also ordered issuing a notice to the state government, DGP and district police officials on a PIL seeking a judicial inquiry into charges of police excesses on agitators in Alanganallur and some other places in Madurai district on January 23.
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.
The judge sought explanation on three main points raised by the petitioners who alleged that the peaceful protesters were attacked, police were involved in violence and treatment was denied to the victims.
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. The counsel for Kumar, who also participated in the stir, claimed he had video evidence to show that police instigated violence and damaged vehicles.
DMK, treasury benches cross sword in Assembly on jallikattu
The jallikattu issue echoed in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday with LoP M K Stalin and Chief Minister O Panneerselvam crossing swords as the DMK leader demanded revocation of prohibitory order on the Marina beach clamped under section 144 of CrPC.
When the legal process to allow jallikattu was completed by the state in three days, which began with an Ordinance and ended with an amendment to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, why similar action was not taken in the past three years, Stalin asked.
He also wanted the prohibitory order clamped under section 144 of the CrPC lifted from the Marina beach since the place is frequented by the public.