Man sets himself ablaze; protests in TN against Sri Lanka

As UNHRC is set to take up the US-sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka, a 41-year-old man in Tamil Nadu on Monday attempted self immolation and various pro-Tamil groups staged protests demanding action against Sri Lanka for alleged war crimes.

Mani, a social worker of coastal Nallavadu village in Cuddalore district, doused himself with petrol and set himself ablaze at the Collectorate complex, raising slogans against Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and demanding that he be tried in the International Court of Justice for alleged war crimes, police said.

He was admitted to the government hospital in Cuddalore with serious burns, they said, adding that he had come to the Collectorate to present a petition to the collector on the Lankan Tamils issue.

In Chennai, MDMK chief Vaiko, along with activists of several pro-Tamil groups, were arrested when they tried to picket the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission pressing their demands, including a probe against the island government.

The protestors, including Tamil Desiya Iyakkam (Tamil Nationalist Movement) leader P Nedumaran and around 400 people were arrested, police said. They demanded that India support the US-backed motion.

Meanwhile, expressing their solidarity with the Tamils cause, a majority of advocates in the principal and Madurai bench of Madras High Court boycotted court proceedings, demanding that the Centre support the resolution.

Lawyers' associations, including Tamil Nadu Advocates Association, Women Lawyers' Association and Madras High Court Advocates Association, extended support to the boycott and their members boycotted court proceedings across the state.

"We want India to vote against Sri Lanka for all the war crimes it has committed. Sri Lanka should be brought to justice. They should not be pardoned," S Prabhakaran, president of Tamil Nadu Advocates' Association, said.

The DMK-backed TESO (Tamil Ealam Supporters' Organisation) will hold a similar protest on Tuesday.

Political parties in the state have been pressing for action against Sri Lanka for alleged war crimes committed by its army during the last phase of the conflict with rebel LTTE.