VIDEO: Attack on Vihara carried out by Seeman’s group – Indian Media
January 26, 2011 12:04 pm
The Monday evening attack on Bodhimaya, the Buddhist centre in the capital city of Tamil Nadu was allegedly carried out by members of a fringe group Naam Tamizhar which is led by pro-LTTE film director Seeman, Indian Media reports.
The attack left four monks, three of them Sri Lankan, injured.
The motive is suspected to be a retaliation by the group for the alleged killing of fishermen from Tamil Nadu by the Sri Lankan navy. Three fishermen have already been killed so far this year.
“We have short listed certain suspects, so we are very close to catching them. We will crack it in a day or two,” said Commissioner of Police, Chennai T Rajendran.
“We have given them (monks) security now. We have posted pickets and round the clock security. It will be there for sometime,” said Rajendran.
The attack on the Buddhist center forced the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India to fly down to meet Tamil Nadu’s Chief Secretary and raise his concerns.
India had earlier strongly raised the issue of safety of it’s fishermen with Sri Lanka and Colombo had denied it’s navy’s involvement. Now the high commissioner says the navy would not fire on fishermen even if they stray into Sri Lankan waters.
“We want to work with Indian Government to ensure that Indian fishermen
are not harmed even when they cross into Sri Lankan waters and fish on our
waters. Even if they cross into Sri Lankan waters, Sri Lankan Navy will not
fire on them,” said High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India Prasad Kariyawasam, IBN reports.