At Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu less than a year ago massive protests against the Sterlite Copper plant resulted in a violent showdown and a horrific display of police brutality. 13 people died and the plant was shut down. Even as the people in this industrial town try and recover from that nightmare, Vedanta that owns Sterlite Copper is edging towards victory in its legal battle to reopen the plant. Poornima Murali travels to Thoothukudi to find a town that’s simmering with tension and split down the middle.
