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Police not to blame for Coimbatore violence: inquiry

The P R Gokulakrishnan Commission has acquitted the Coimbatore police of blame in the widespread violence that broke out after a traffic constable was murdered in the textile city last year.

The one-man commission, however, held the police guilty of failing to discharge its duties on the three fateful days.

The report, which went into the murder of constable Selvaraj on November 29 and the subsequent rioting, arson and looting of Muslims' properties, leading to police firing in seven places, was placed in the Tamil Nadu assembly on Friday.

By abstaining from duty on November 29 and December 1 to pay homage to Selvaraj, the constabulary had miserably failed to discharge its duties, Gokulakrishnan said.

"Hence there is a lapse on the part of the constabulary which, barring a few of its men, refused to perform its duties even after the direction and persuasion by the commissioner of police. It is, therefore, necessary to take disciplinary action against those erring policemen," he wrote.

The commission noted that there was resentment among the police against the activities of the Al-Umma, whose ill-feeling towards the city police had resulted in Selvaraj's murder.

It justified the police firing as necessary to contain the large-scale violence and destruction of property.

On the extent of damage and quantum of compensation, the commission said this was being dealt with separately as it involved a large number of petitions.

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