Harassed Lankan pilgrims come under attack again as they leave Tamil Nadu church refuge

Chennai: The group of Sri Lankan pilgrims harassed by the pro-LTTE activists in Tamil Nadu and sought refuge in a church has come under attack again as they have been taken to Tiruchy by the Indian authorities yesterday.

The Deputy High Commission of Sri Lanka in Chennai has reported this afternoon that the group of 184 Sri Lankan pilgrims who had taken refuge at the Poondi Madha Basilica in Thanjavur has been taken in buses for their return to Colombo by the Indian authorities and assisted by the staff of the Sri Lankan Mission, the External Affairs Ministry of Sri Lanka said today.

It was also reported that the buses had come under attack en route to the airport by a group of protesters. The pro-LTTE mob have pelted stones and smashed the windows of the buses as a convoy of five buses took the Sri Lankan pilgrims to the Trichy airport.

However, the Indian authorities have provided the pilgrims security and safe passage, and taken them to a tourist lodge, near the airport until their departure, the Ministry said. The group comprising both Sinhalese and Tamils from Chilaw had arrived Sunday at the Poondi Madha Basilica, about 30 km from Thanjavur to participate in the two-day annual festival.

Activists of pro-LTTE Tamil parties in Tamil Nadu had staged a demonstration Monday against the Sri Lankans’ presence and forced them to seek refuge in the church.

The incident, which comes in the wake of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa’s order to send back two Sri Lankan school soccer teams, prompted the Sri Lankan government to issue a travel warning against visiting Tamil Nadu and to urge the public not to visit Tamil Nadu until further notice.

A special flight has been arranged by the government for the group of pilgrims to return to Colombo tonight from Tiruchirapalli Airport, the Ministry said.