Eight arrested in Coimbatore for burning Lanka flag

Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu), Apr 25 (ANI): Coimbatore Police on Saturday arrested eight protesters for trying to burn the Sri Lankan flag.

Hordes of Tamilians were staging a demonstration against the Lankan military offensive, which has led to the deaths of innocent civilians in the island nation.

The protesters expressed their agitation by raising slogans against the Sri Lankan government and demanded an immediate ceasefire.

Diplomatic pressure over the war in Sri Lanka has boiled over this week with the UN Security Council, the United States and other nations demanding an immediate ceasefire in the North-Eastern region of Sri Lanka.

On Friday, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and briefed him about India's efforts in protecting Tamil civilians from the hostilities in Sri Lanka.

"Our envoys visited Sri Lanka today. They called on Sri Lankan President and other officials. They have conveyed India's very serious concern about the ongoing hostilities and made it clear that it is our demand that hostilities must cease immediately the first and only step that must be taken now is cessation of hostilities," said Chidambaram.

Chidambaram expressed the hope that Sri Lankan officials would take action for the protection of innocent people.

National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon, yesterday, met Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and demanded a truce with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

According to UN reports, 160,000 people have fled the combat zone, but 50,000 people are still trapped. (ANI)