Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has ordered judicial inquiry into Tuticorin violence and police action that left nine people dead.

The CM also announced compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for those killed during the protest and Rs 3 lakh each for the injured, government jobs for the family members of the deceased also announced.

Earlier, the state government assured that it will take action 'respecting' people's feelings on the plant and appealed to all for calm.

About 20,000 people took out a procession towards the district collectorate and the copper plant with the intention of picketing them, demanding for its permanent closure, and resorted to violence, a government statement said.

'The mob resorted to violence, set on fire police vehicles and those parked at the collectorate and pelted stones at the collector's office.

'To bring the violence under control, under unavoidable circumstances, police had to take action. To maintain law and order additional police personnel have been sent to Tuticorin,' the statement said.

Meanwhile, Congress president Rahul Gandhi termed the deaths of the nine people a 'brutal example of state sponsored terrorism'.

He said people were murdered in Tuticorin for protesting against injustice.

'The gunning down by the police of 9 people in the Sterlite protest in Tamil Nadu is a brutal example of state sponsored terrorism. These citizens were murdered for protesting against injustice. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of these martyrs and the injured,' Gandhi said on Twitter.  -- PTI

IMAGE:  Smoke billows out of burning vehicles after a violent protest demanding closure of Vedantas Sterlite Copper unit entered the 100th day, in Tuticorin, on Tuesday. Photograph: PTI Photo