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The government will constitute an inquiry commission under a retired high court judge to probe Sunday’s police firing at Paramakudi, in Ramanathapuram district, chief minister J.Jayalalithaa announced on Monday.

Describing the firing incident as “unfortunate”, Ms Jayalalithaa initially said her government had already ordered a DRO inquiry. “Necessary action will be initiated based on the DRO’s report,” she said while replying to a special call attention motion moved by the opposition parties in the Assembly.

But when the opposition parties — CPI(M), CPI, DMDK and Puthiya Tamizhagam — demanded a probe by a retired high court judge, Ms Jayalalithaa immediately agreed. “The members here said caste factor did not dominate the violence. We would be happy if the Sunday clash was not related to (any) caste. First, some unpalatable remarks on leader Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar appear on a wall in the village. Student Palanikumar is killed. John Pandian proceeds to the village, and then follows a series of incidents,“ Ms Jayalalithaa said. Five persons were arrested for the attack on Palanikumar.

Peace committees, dormant during the previous DMK rule, would be revived in communally sensitive areas. During her 2001-06 regime, the then government protected leaders' statues, she said, and recalled that collectors visited the affected places and held peace talks. This practice will be revived, she stated.