Henri Tiphagne of People’s Watch, an NGO, has demanded a joint suo moto enquiry by the NHRC and the SHRC on the entire duration of the Sterlite protest and the brutal use of police force at the protest.
He also demanded compensation of `20 lakh for each of the families of the victims.

“It was a total failure on the part of the Central and State intelligence agencies both of which evidently were not prepared for such a protest and completely misjudged the people’s anger on the ground. People’s Watch observes that the government, which was given a choice to either stand by its people or by the industry,  chose the private entity instead,” he alleged.

“People’s  Watch is also forced to remind the government that on March 24, 2018, a similar show of strength witnessed the peaceful assembly of nearly 2 lakh protesters in Thoothukudi. Why did the State fail to take pointers from that protest?” he added.