Police personnel prepare to tackle the crowd, as agitators demand closure of Vedanta's Sterlite Copper, in Toothukudi, on Tuesday. Pics/PTI

Nine people, including a girl, died on Tuesday in police firing after the ongoing anti-Sterlite protests turned violent with thousands of people from nearby areas allegedly attacking the district collectorate, demanding closure of the Vedanta group-run company. In the first major incident of police firing in Tamil Nadu on protesters and resultant deaths, they first fired teargas shells and carried out baton charges to bring the protesters under control but passions were high.

Police then resorted to firing, as thousands of people gathered in defiance of prohibitory orders on the 100th day of their agitation ever since the company announced the expansion plans of the four lakh tonne per annum Sterlite Copper project and attacked the collectorate.