Traffic was disrupted for nearly two hours on the Royapuram–Mannali High Road in Kasimedu on Saturday morning, after more than 500 fishermen blocked the stretch and burnt an effigy of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The agitation was part of a series of anti-Sri Lanka protests that have rocked the State over the last week.
Police said that around 10 a.m., the group of fishermen assembled on a stretch in Kasimedu and raised slogans against the Indian and Sri Lankan governments. They then burnt the effigy on the road, causing a traffic snarl.
A large police contingent was present to ensure the protest did not get out of hand. After nearly an hour, the protesters dispersed peacefully.
50 held in Egmore
Meanwhile, another group of protesters tried to barge into the Mahabodhi society on Kenneth Lane in Egmore.
Around 1 p.m., over 50 protestors attempted to enter the premises, but were stopped by the police. A police team led by R. Jayachandran, assistance commissioner (Egmore) prevented the protesters from causing damage to the building. They were all arrested but released later in the evening.
Saturday’s attempt to attack the society is the second such in a week. On March 17, 18 cadres belonging to the Naam Tamizhar party were arrested for a similar attempt.
