Police have open fired and killed at least nine protesters calling for the closure of major source of pollution in southern India.
Local TV coverage of the protest showed police trying to disperse the crowd with a combination of tear-gas and a water cannon.
The plant, which produces more than 400,000 tonnes of copper every year, will remain closed until at least June 6th after failing to pass local pollution regulations.
Rahul Gandhi, the head of the national opposition party, criticised the authorities’ use of deadly force saying “These citizens were murdered for protesting against injustice. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of these martyrs and the injured.”