Actor-turned-politician Rajinikanth is likely to be summoned again by the one-man commission probing the Thoothukudi violence for his remarks on the anti-Sterlite protesters. According to Arul Vadivel Sekar, the counsel for the commission which is headed by Justice Aruna Jagadeesan, the actor may be summoned in January. Rajinikanth had sought an exemption in February earlier this year apprehending a law and order problem. He had said thousands of his fans will gather in Thoothukudi to see him and hence he needed to be exempted from appearing in person before the Commission. Speaking to the reporters in Thoothukudi, Sekar said the 23rd phase of the inquiry began on Monday and will continue till Friday. He added that the commission had summoned 49 persons including members of fire personnel and people who had stayed in the police quarters at Third Mile and beach road and 42 of them were questioned so far. The counsel added that 586 witnesses have been questioned totally and 775 documents have been recorded so far. He said the inquiry came to a halt in March due to the pandemic and in the next phase of the inquiry, which is scheduled to be carried out in January, the doctors who treated the patients who suffered bullet injuries will be questioned. When asked whether Rajinikanth will be summoned by the commission, Vadivel said if required anyone will be called for the inquiry. “Rajinikanth will be called soon. Since he has started participating in film shootings, there is a possibility to summon him in January. We need to question 500 more persons in connection with the incident, he said. On May 22, 2018, at least 13 people were killed and several others were injured when the Tamil Nadu Police opened fire on the protesters staging a demonstration against the construction of a smelter plant by Sterlite Copper Plant owned by Vedanta Limited in Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu. On May 30, 2018, addressing the media after meeting those who got injured in the firing, Rajinikanth had said the protest turned violent after the “Intrusion of anti-social elements’’. The actor further added that if people start protesting for everything, then the state will turn into a graveyard.
