The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board disconnected the power supply to the Sterlite Copper Smelter plant in Thoothukudi on Thursday even as the death toll in Tuesday's police firing climbed to 12.
The board also ordered the closure of the plant with immediate effect under Section 33A of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and Section 31A of Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1971.
The TNPCB said that during its inspections last week, it found that the unit was 'carrying out activities to resume production' despite being told not to do so until its licence to operate is renewed.
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The pollution board's order came a day after the Madras High Court, in an interim order, stayed the expansion of the plant.
The DMK and other opposition parties in Tamil Nadu have called for a dawn-to-dusk bandh on Friday, condemning the police action against protesters. Eleven people were killed as police opened fire on protesters who were marching towards the Thoothukudi Collectorate on Tuesday, the 100th day of their agitation against the plant.
"The DMK, the All India National Congress, the Dravidar Kazhagam, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the CPI, the CPI(M), the Indian Union Muslim League, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and the Manithaneya Makkal Katchi will participate in the day-long state-wide protest," said a statement issued by the DMK on Wednesday night.
Congress party on Thursday compared the incident to the massacre of Jallianwala Bagh. "State government knew that this was the 100th day of agitation, and that it's going to be bigger. They should have made better arrangements to maintain law and order, but nothing was done. They simply resorted to firing. It was a massacre, almost like Jallianwala Bagh," Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad was quoted as saying by ANI.
Internet services have been suspended in Thoothukudi and adjoining districts of Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari till May 27 to prevent spread of rumours through social media.
The state government on Wednesday transferred Thoothukudi District Collector N. Venkatesh and Superintendent of Police P. Mahendran as the port city remained tense after the violence.