Amnesty Friday demanded an end to the use of police force against “peaceful protesters” agitating against a nuclear power plant at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu.
Terming the death of person in police firing on Monday as “a clear example of excessive use of force by the police”, Amnesty demanded an immediate halt to the use of force against the protestors and an “impartial probe into all reports of police violations”.
Amnesty International India’s chief executive G. Ananthapadmanabhan demanded the police drop “false charges against protestors and release those individuals who have been arrested on such charges”.
“The people of the villages around Kudankulam must be able to exercise their rights to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly without fear of violence or harassment,” he said, according to a statement.
The villagers are protesting against the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) setting up two 1,000 MW reactors with Russian help at Kudankulam which they fear will jeopardise their safety.
