BFC

Tamil Nadu Police foiled a bid to hoist the Indian National flag at the controversial Katchatheevu Island by arresting 46 activists of some Hindu outfits here today.

The Hindu Makkal Katchi (HMK) and Bharathiya Forward Bloc (BFC) had announced they would hoist the national flag on Katchatheevu on Independence Day, demanding retrieval of the island ceded to Sri Lanka by the Indian Government in 1974 and protection of innocent Tamil Nadu fishermen from frequent attacks by the Sri Lankan Navy.

In view of the agitation, a large number of policemen, including armed police, were deployed in the island town of Rameswaram under the direct supervision of Deputy Inspector General of Police (Ramanathapuram Range) Sandeep Mittal.

Meanwhile, the activists led by HMK State General Secretary A Annadurai, BFC President K A Murugan and Marathamilar Party leader "Pudumalar" Prabhakaran were rounded up by the police when they attempted to go to the Rameswaram Fishing Jetty for venturing towards the island.
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Earlier, the agitators, who arrived in Rameswaram from Madurai by train, staged a demonstration near the Thevar Statue and attempted to proceed to the Rameswaram fishing jetty.

The fishermen of mechanized and country boats of Rameswaram, Mandapam and Pamban did not venture into the sea for fishing today in view of a ban order imposed by the Tamil Nadu government because of the stir announced by the outfits.