The brother-in-law of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was on a visit to Rameswaram, was allegedly manhandled by cadre of the MDMK and Naam Tamilar Iyakkam. Seven cadre of both parties have been arrested in this connection.

As word spread about the presence of Thirukumaran Nadesan, brother-in-law of Rajapaksa, in Rameswaram, about 50 cadre of both MDMK and Naam Tamilar Katchi gathered in front of the house of priest Anandha Balu Theetchithar, where Nadesan had come to perform a special pooja.

The cadre led by Kan Elango, district coordinator of Naam Tamilar Iyakkam, and Palanisamy, State Youth Wing deputy secretary of MDMK, raised slogans against Nadesan and waved black flags at him. They also condemned the en masse killings of innocent Tamils during the ethnic conflict. When Nadesan came out of the priest’s house, some of the cadre allegedly manhandled him and threw footwear at him.Later, Palanisamy said that the cadre of MDMK and Naam Tamilar Iyakkam manhandled Nadesan as he refused to leave the place.

According to priest Anandha Balu, Nadesan visited Rameswaram on Monday night and stayed in a private lodge. On Tuesday morning, after taking a holy dip at Agni Theertham, he had come to the priest’s house. “I asked him to change his clothes in the entrance hall and closed the main door of the house. Then, I heard a group shouting slogans against Nadesan, but didn’t see him being manhandled. I was inside the room,” Balu said.

On information, police visited the spot and rescued Nadesan. Ramanathapuram SP Kaliraj Maheshkumar told Express that the group tried to attack Nadesan when he was standing in front of the priest’s house. However, police prevented the cadre from attacking him. (ENS)