A convoy of buses carrying 178 fleeing Sri Lankans was pelted by sticks and stones near Kattur in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday. The Sri Lankans, who were on their way to Tiruchirapalli airport to fly back home to Colombo, experienced similar protest action whilst visiting a Christian shrine in Velankanni earlier that morning, and whilst visiting a Poondi Madha Christian shrine in Thanjavur the day before.
Shouting, "Sinhalese go back", protesters in Tamil Nadu used two-wheelers to block the road ahead of the convoy.
According to Sri Lanka Deputy High Commissioner R K M A Rajakaruna, the fleeing Sri Lankans, "appealed to us to arrange to send them back to Sri Lanka," and "we thought it would be advisable to arrange their quick eviction from here."
Three passengers are reported to have suffered a bruise.
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