Human rights activist and executive director of People’s Watch Henry Tiphagne, who was also in Tuticorin on Tuesday, told TOI that there was total violation of human rights in the police firing. He alleged that the people who shot at people were not in police uniform and that no formal procedure was followed before the firing.

Tiphagne said the intention of police was not to disperse the crowds. “Had it been so, they would have used pellets and not bullets. The fact that some of the victims had received bullets in their mouth is proof that the motive of police was to kill,” he said and added that the NHRC and the SHRC should conduct an inquiry into the incident.