Senior police officer transferred after anti-Sterlite protests in Tuticorin

Chennai: Senior IPS officer Shailesh Kumar Yadav was promoted as Additional Director General of Police on Friday, weeks after being shunted out from the post of IGP South Zone in the wake of the violence and police firing during anti-Sterlite protests in Tuticorin.

Yadav, transferred to Chennai as IGP (Armed Police) on June 9, will now be Special Officer of the Tamil Nadu Police Transport Corporation, said an official statement, which also included transfers and promotions of seven other top officers.

Protests demanding closure of the Sterlite's copper smelter unit in Tuticorin, which comes under the IG South Zone jurisdiction, had turned violent on May 22 and 23. Thirteen people were killed in police firing.

Besides Yadav, two deputy tahsildars, who allegedly gave orders to police personnel to open fire, were also transferred by the government.