Chennai, Sep 12 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa Monday decided to constitute a commission headed by a retired high court judge to conduct an inquiry into Sunday's police firing in Ramanathapuram district which killed six people.


Replying to a special calling attention motion in the assembly, she termed the firing incident as "unfortunate".

She had earlier said the enquiry would be conducted by a Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) but later agreed to the demand of the opposition for an enquiry by a retired judge.

She said the government will take necessary action after the submission of the inquiry report. She also appealed to people not to indulge in violence in support of political ambitions.

On Sunday, police had fired at an angry Dalit mob that indulged in arson and stone pelting in Paramakudi in Ramanathapuram district to disperse them. The mob turned violent when the number of protesters swelled.

The mob was protesting the arrest of TMMK founder John Pandian near Tuticorin. He was detained when he was on his way to take part in Dalit leader Emmanuel Sekaran's memorial celebrations.

Jayalalithaa said the AIADMK would set up peace committees in areas that are prone to caste clashes.

"Whenever there is a possibility of a caste clash in an area, the district collector would visit that place and hold meetings with the two parties and also conduct the meeting of the peace committee," she said.

She faulted the previous DMK government for not following the practice and assured the revival of such Peace Committees.

Jayalalithaa said she would be happy if the Sunday clash was not communal but the various incidents that happened seem to be interlinked.

She said a student was killed Sep 9 in a village near Ramanathapuram and police have arrested five people in that connection.

"Considering the tense situation in Ramanathapuram and to maintain the law and order, the district collector Sep 11 prohibited Pandian from entering the district," she said.

Jayalalithaa said defying the prohibitory orders, Pandian proceeded towards Paramakudi and was arrested near Tuticorin. She said around 500 of Pandian's supporters protested on the road in Paramakudi.

Jayalalithaa said: "Police first advised protesters to disperse. Disregarding the advice, the protesters pelted stones at police. The protesters indulged in arson and set fire to a fire engine and a police vehicle and police resorted to firing in self defence and also to protect public property as the protestors threw stones and petrol bombs."

Jayalalithaa said several police officials were hurt in the violence.

She said in Madurai, police resorted to firing in self defence as the supporters of Pandian were stoning them.

Jayalalithaa said a compensation of Rs.100,000 for the kin of each of the dead in the firing and Rs.15,000 for the injured had been ordered.

She said a compensation of Rs.100,000 will be paid to the family of the murdered student Palanivelu.