Rights groups demand arrests and independent probe; call attack a deliberate attempt to silence voices against illegal mining in Tamil Nadu

Groundxero | Nov 3, 2025

The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) — both its national and Tamil Nadu–Puducherry units — and the Human Rights Forum (HRF) have strongly condemned the violent assault on Dr. V. Suresh, PUCL National General Secretary and senior advocate of the Madras High Court.

The assault occurred on November 2, 2025, during a public hearing organised by Arappor Iyakkam (People’s Campaign for Justice) at Rose Mahal, Tirunelveli, where villagers were deposing about the social and environmental impacts of illegal stone quarrying.

The hearing began at 10:30 a.m. and was proceeding peacefully until about 11 a.m., when around 25 men entered the hall, claiming to represent quarry owners. Led by Vinoth Kumar and Arogiyasamy, the group disrupted proceedings, shouting that they would not allow the villagers to testify.

Despite repeated appeals from Dr. Suresh to maintain peace and promising equal opportunity for response, the disruption escalated. A chair was hurled at Dr. Suresh, striking the back of his head and causing a bleeding injury. Two more chairs were thrown into the crowd, forcing the session to halt.

Dr. Suresh was immediately taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. He is reported to be in stable condition but continues to experience pain.

PUCL — “Attack Aimed to Intimidate”

In a detailed statement, PUCL condemned the assault as a deliberate attempt to silence dissent against the powerful illegal mining lobby.

“Through their violent action, the aim of the group was to prevent the local villagers from exercising their fundamental right of free speech, assembly and association… The deliberate targeting of Dr. Suresh is nothing other than an effort to intimidate a strong voice against illegal mining in the state,” PUCL said.

“We will not be intimidated by thuggish attempts to curtail the constitutional right of ‘We the People’ to speech, expression, and assembly.”

PUCL also raised serious concern over the failure of the police to intervene despite being present at the venue. Only one person was reportedly detained.

(Read the full statement by PUCL here)

HRF Calls For Independent Probe

The Human Rights Forum (HRF) issued a separate press release condemning the attack and demanding an independent investigation into both the assault and police inaction.

“The assault, carried out by hired agents of a mining mafia, was clearly intended to disrupt the public hearing and to threaten and intimidate,” said HRF Coordination Committee members V.S. Krishna and S. Jeevan Kumar.

“We believe that some of the mining companies implicated in the illegal beach sand mining scam in Tirunelveli are behind Sunday’s attack.”

The HRF also pointed out that the attack took place in full view of police, who failed to act appropriately.

“This is an assault not only on Dr. V. Suresh but on the right of every person to carry out human rights work in safety and dignity,” HRF stated, calling on the Tamil Nadu government to register criminal cases, arrest all those responsible, and ensure the safety of human rights defenders in the region.

Ongoing Battles against Illegal Mining

Dr. V. Suresh has been amicus curiae in the Madras High Court in several cases that exposed illegal sand and mineral extraction in southern Tamil Nadu. His work contributed to bans on large-scale sand mining and heavy mineral extraction operations in the region.

Tamil Nadu continues to witness rampant illegal quarrying. A recent Times of India investigation revealed that more than 21 lakh cubic metres of rough stone were illegally mined from two quarries in Tirupur district.

The PUCL and HRF believe this attack is part of a broader campaign of intimidation and suppression against activists, lawyers, and villagers resisting mining-related environmental destruction.

PUCL & HRF’s Demands

• Arrest of all individuals involved in the assault, regardless of political affiliation;
• A court-monitored independent investigation into the attack and police non-intervention;
• Protection and security for Dr. V. Suresh, Arappor Iyakkam organiser Mr. Jayaraman, and other human rights defenders;
• Strong enforcement of environmental and mining laws and accountability for collusion between political actors and the mining mafia.

Full HRF Press Release (Verbatim) 

The Human Rights Forum (HRF) condemns the physical attack on Dr. V Suresh, national general secretary of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and senior advocate at the Madras High Court. The assault, carried out by hired agents of a mining mafia, took place at Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu on Sunday (2-11-2025) during a public hearing organised by the People’s Campaign for Justice regarding social and environmental issues arising from illegal stone quarrying in Tirunelveli district. Suresh was deliberating as the chair of the jury panel of the people’s tribunal when the assault took place.

The assault was carried out by around 25 persons and was clearly intended to disrupt the public hearing and to threaten and intimidate. A chair was also flung at Suresh, which hit him above the neck, resulting in a bleeding injury. The attack took place in the context of Suresh’s prior work as amicus curiae in a PIL that uncovered a massive illegal beach-sand mineral mining scam across Tirunelveli. This case led to a ban on mining operations. We believe that some of the mining companies implicated in that scam are behind Sunday’s attack.

The PUCL has stated: “It is apparent that hired agents of the mining mafia—posing as members of the public—deliberately sought to disrupt the Constitutional freedoms of speech and assembly by violent disruption through criminal intimidation and causing of physical hurt… Dr V. Suresh has been consistently pursuing legal action for many years against those involved in the illegal extraction of mineral wealth and has secured several judgements which have come down heavily upon illegal sand mining.” We gather that the attack took place in full view of the police but they failed to intervene appropriately, only apprehending one person from the violent mob.

HRF calls on the Tamil Nadu government to institute a credible and independent investigation into the assault on V Suresh, the circumstances of non-intervention of the police, register criminal cases and arrest all those responsible. The safety of Suresh and all human rights defenders working in the region must be ensured. We believe this is an assault not only on V Suresh but on the right of every person to carry out human rights work in safety and dignity.

— V.S. Krishna S. Jeevan Kumar
HRF A.P. & Telangana Coordination Committee Members