Marina firing: 25 years on, families recall the five DMK men killed

Twenty-five years ago, the sands of Chennai's Marina Beach turned into a scene of tragedy. On a tense afternoon, police opened fire on a crowd of DMK workers, leaving five men dead. The incident, which has since become a sombre milestone in Tamil Nadu's political memory, is being remembered this week by the families of the deceased and party loyalists alike.

The firing took place during a protest organised by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, then in the opposition. What began as a demonstration over a political demand quickly spiralled into chaos. Accounts from that day describe a volley of shots fired into the crowd, with panic sweeping through the gathering. By the time the dust settled, five party workers lay dead on the shore.

The five lives lost

The men who died were ordinary workers — foot soldiers of the party, not leaders in the spotlight. Their names are etched in DMK's internal records, but for the wider public, they have largely faded from memory. Relatives, speaking to The Hindu on the anniversary, described them as devoted cadres who had joined the protest out of conviction.

One family, still living near the Marina, recalled the knock on the door that evening. Another spoke of a young father who never returned home. Over the decades, these personal stories have been recounted at party meetings and memorial events, yet the official record has remained thin. The police action was justified at the time as a measure to control an unruly mob, but questions about proportionality have lingered.

Political fallout and remembrance

In the immediate aftermath, the DMK capitalised on the deaths, using them to rally support against the then AIADMK government. The incident became a rallying cry in subsequent elections, and the party has since erected memorials at the site. Every year, on the anniversary, senior leaders visit the beach to lay wreaths, though the scale of observance has diminished with time.

Political analysts note that the Marina firing has been overshadowed by other, more recent tragedies in the state. Yet for the families, the pain has not dulled. They continue to seek a fuller acknowledgment of what happened, even as legal battles over compensation concluded years ago. The state government at the time paid ex gratia amounts to the kin, but no official apology has ever been issued.

Memory on the sands

Today, the Marina is a bustling expanse of vendors, joggers, and tourists. Few who walk its length are aware that a deadly confrontation once unfolded there. A small plaque, often obscured by sand and debris, marks the spot. The five men's names are listed, but the inscription is worn.

Local residents in the neighbouring areas, however, remember. Older shopkeepers and auto drivers recount the story to younger generations, ensuring the memory survives informally. For the DMK, now in power in the state, the anniversary is a delicate matter — a reminder of a painful episode that predates its current leadership.

As the 25th year passes, the families have called for a more permanent memorial, one that does not fade with the tide. They argue that the men who died were not just party workers but citizens who believed in a cause. Their demand is modest: that the state acknowledge the sacrifice in a manner befitting the loss.

What happens next remains uncertain. The current government has not announced any special commemoration, and no new inquiry has been ordered. But the anniversary has reignited conversations among historians and journalists about the need to document such incidents systematically. For now, the five men rest in the collective memory of a city that has moved on, even as their families wait for a fuller reckoning.