Attack on SL Prez relative: 7 file anticipatory bail pleas

Madurai, Jan 11: Seven persons against whom police had filed cases for allegedly breaking into the residence of a priest and attacking a close relative of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksha during his visit there, on Thursday filed anticipatory bail petitions in the Madras High Court bench.

They submitted they had nothing to do with the alleged offence yesterday when some persons barged into the priest''s house and threw stones and slippers at Rajapaksha''s relative Tirukumaran Natesan as he was about to perform a ''parikara pooja (prayer seeking to remedy ill-effects of some sins)''.

Police had filed cases against the seven persons for entering the priest''s house along with 40 persons, throwing slippers, using filthy language and threatening Natesan and the priest.

The petitioners pointed out that Natesan himself had given a statement that no such incident had taken place and said they were ready to furnish sureties.

Meanwhile the incident caused a flutter among fishermen, who staged a demonstration today, condemning the incident and did not put out to sea on the advice of fisheries department officials.

PTI