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18 Mar 2013 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

While declaring that the Sri Lankan government would lodge a protest with the Indian Government over last Saturday’s alleged assault on a Sri Lankan monk in Thanjavur, India, the External Affairs Ministry yesterday said if such incidents continued, the government ‘would even consider’ issuing a travel advisory on those visiting Tamil Nadu.

“We have already instructed our High Commissioner in New Delhi to take up the matter with the Indian External Affairs Ministry and lodge a protest against it,” Foreign Ministry Secretary Karunatilaka Amunugama told the Daily Mirror.

When asked whether the government would be compelled to re-issue a travel advisory against Lankans visiting Tamil Nadu following the incident, Mr. Amunugama said, “if these kinds of incidents continue, the government ‘would consider’ necessary action, even by issuing a travel advisory.”

Meanwhile, the External Affairs Ministry yesterday said in a statement that the Sri Lanka Deputy High Commissioner’s Office in Chennai and the Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi made immediate arrangements for the safe return of victimised Ven. Gnanaloka Thero to New Delhi on Saturday evening and the Ven. Thero would continue with his course of study in New Delhi .

“The incident has received immediate attention at the highest levels of the Government of India and the State government of Tamil Nadu,” it said.

It also said Indian Police had registered a case in Ariyamangalam and have arrested 5 persons belonging to the MDMK (Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) and the NTK (Naam Tamilar Katchi) in connection with the incident.

On March 16, 2013, a group of persons had attempted to assault Ven. Pathberiye Gnanaloka, while he was on a study tour at the Thanjavur Hindu Temple. Ven. Gnanaloka Thero who is pursuing a Postgraduate Diploma in Archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology of India has been studying in New Delhi for the past 18 months and has visited several Indian states on a study tour.

At the time of Saturday’s attack, Ven. Gnanaloka Thero had been with a group of 18 students comprising Indian, Myanmar and other nationals. Ven. Gananloka Thero had not suffered any physical injury as a result of the attack. However, several Indian students who accompanied him had received injuries as a result of the attack, in their efforts to protect the priest.

Ven. Gnanaloka Thero and the other students had been escorted to immediate safety at the Police Station by the Police and arrangements had been made for all the students including Ven. Gnanaloka Thero to leave Thanjavur immediately and depart to the Trichy airport under police protection.

In September, 2012, Sri Lanka issued a travel advisory for Sri Lankan nationals visiting the state of Tamil Nadu, following attacks on Sri Lankans visiting Tamil Nadu, in particular a group of Sri Lankan pilgrims visiting the Poornimatha Church in Thanjavur in early September 2012.

However, in October, in the same year the travel advisory on travelling to the state of Tamil Nadu in India was lifted by the Sri Lankan government. (Sunil Jayasiri)

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