The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) condemned the assault on its national general secretary and senior advocate Dr. V. Suresh during a public hearing in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, and urged the state government to ensure his safety.
Suresh sustained injuries when a group of approximately 25 men, who claimed to represent quarry owners, disrupted a hearing organized by the civic group Arappor Iyakkam regarding illegal stone quarrying in the area. According to PUCL, the attackers entered the venue around 11 AM, shouting and threatening participants. One individual reportedly threw a chair that struck Suresh on the head. He was subsequently treated at a local hospital and is now in stable condition.
Arappor Iyakkam has filed a police complaint against those responsible for the attack on participants during their public hearing.
PUCL indicated that the assault appeared aimed at intimidating villagers and activists protesting the environmental degradation associated with illegal mining. “It is evident that agents of the mining mafia deliberately sought to disrupt the constitutional freedoms of speech and assembly through violence and intimidation,” the organization stated in a press release.
Tamil Nadu MP Sasikanth Senthil condemned the incident, calling for protection of rights defenders. He remarked on X, “The violent attack on V. Suresh — General Secretary of People’s Union for Civil Liberties — during a peaceful public hearing in Tirunelveli is an assault on free speech, assembly, and the right to dissent. The Tamil Nadu government should ensure protection for all rights defenders and conduct a full, impartial investigation.”
PUCL leaders expressed concern over the presence of police during the incident, noting only one person was detained at the scene. The organization alleged that the assailants could have connections to both ruling and opposition parties that benefit from illegal quarrying operations.
PUCL called upon the Tamil Nadu government to arrest all individuals involved and guarantee the safety of Suresh, Arappor Iyakkam organizer Jayaraman, and others advocating against illegal mining.
“We will not be intimidated by thuggish attempts to curtail the constitutional rights of the people to speech, expression, and assembly,” PUCL president Kavita Srivastava stated.
The Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) expressed its “strongest condemnation” of the assault on Suresh, demanding a “transparent, impartial investigation into the attack.” APCR emphasized that the attack affects not just the individual but the collective rights of communities to a healthy environment, the freedom to speak, and the ability to hold public hearings.
The Andhra Pradesh-based Human Rights Forum (HRF) also condemned the attack and called for accountability from the authorities.
This incident has heightened concerns regarding the safety of activists and the state of civil rights in Tamil Nadu.
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