World

Bhopal protesters clash with police on aniversary

13:22 pm on 4 December 2011

Indian police have clashed with thousands of protesters demanding more compensation on the anniversary of the toxic gas leak at the Bhopal chemical plant 27 years ago.

The Indian government says more than 3000 people died within days of the leak and more than 15,000 have died since then.

Campaigners say the death toll is as high as 25,000 and that the effects of the leak of the world's worst industrial accident continue to this day.

Dow Chemicals, which bought the firm that owned the plant, says the matter has been settled. But the protesters want more compensation.

In 1999, Dow merged with the Union Carbide Corporation, whose subsidiary Union Carbide India ran the pesticide plant where the disaster happened.

Dow has said in the past that its $600 million settlement for those affected by the tragedy is fair and final.