Nine people died in a coastal city in southern Tamil Nadu on Tuesday when police fired at hundreds of protesters marching against a copper smelting plant tried to attack the district collector’s office, said officials.

Protesters who blame the Vedanta group’s Sterlite plant for health problems and depleting water allegedly set vehicles on fire and stoned policemen in Toothukudi, which was formerly known as Tuticorin. News agency IANS reports an agitation against the factory started 100 days ago and took a violent turn after protesters learnt of the company’s plans to expand the four lakh tonne per annum plant.