Chennai, Mar 23 (IANS): The opposition DMK has made the Sterlite police firing in which 13 people lost their lives, a major poll issue in Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi.

DMK president and Chief Minister candidate, M.K. Stalin raked up the issue during his election campaign in Thoothukudi on Monday.

Stalin said the people of Thoothukudi will teach the corrupt and inept AIADMK a lesson in the ensuing Assembly polls.

He also came out heavily against the police on the brutal custodial torture and subsequent death of father-son duo of Jayaraj and Beniks, both traders at Thoothukudi in June last year.

Stalin said that the state police had gone ruderless after the AIADMK government assumed office and added that once elected to power, his party would undo the damage done and take to task those responsible for the gunning down of 13 people as well as the custodial murder of Jayaraj and Bennicks. On May 22, 2018, 13 people were killed when police fired on protesters demanding the closure of Vedanta's Sterlite Copper unit.

The DMK leader also came down heavily on the lack of development of Thoothukkudi ever since the AIADMK government assumed office. He said the party when in power had constructed the district collector office, police superintendent office, district hospitals and many other buildings while the AIADMK government had totally neglected the port city.

Stalin said that the AIADMK had supported implementing the CAA in the country and added that the party could have stayed away from the Bill in Parliament.