Chennai, Aug 21 (IANS): The Tamil Nadu government has extended the tenure of the Justice Aruna Jagadeeshan Commission of Inquiry probing the Thoothukudi police firing on those protesting against Sterlite factory in which 13 people lost their lives. The tenure has been extended till February, 2022.

The commission was to complete its tenure on August 22, 2021, and had sought an extension of a year but the government extended it by six months only.

The firing on agitators that led to 13 deaths and injuring several others, has been a big political issue between the DMK and the AIADMK with the former levelling allegations against the latter that it was the anti-people and pro corporate-friendly attitude of the AIADMK that led to the police firing and deaths.

A Government order (GO) issued on Friday stated that there would not be any further extension of the commission and that the probe has to be completed within the stipulated time frame.

The GO also stipulated that the commission has to complete the probe within this date and present a report both in English and Tamil on the same.

The Commission of Inquiry (CoI) submitted its interim report in May 2021 which was presented to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. The interim report has reportedly recommended withdrawal of 244 cases against 400 youths and compensation to the victims of police torture.

The then AIADMK government had constituted the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) in 2018.

The police firing which took place on May 21 and May 22 in 2018 led to the deaths of protesters and immediately a war of words had erupted between the DMK and the AIADMK.

M.K. Stalin and Kanimozhi came out strongly on the "Mass Murder" by the police.