Naxal suspect held during protest

CHENNAI: The city police detained a 30-year-old man, suspected to be a naxalite, along with 14 others during a protest in front of the Sri Lankan Airlines office at  Nungambakkam, here on Saturday.Police said the man, who initially gave them the slip, was later caught.He was identified as A Satish Kumar of Omalur in Salem district, arrested under POTA for allegedly providing arms training to 22 persons in a forest area in Dharmapuri district. The case is pending with the Poonamallee Court.He was later released as he had served two years in prison. Satish Kumar told police that he joined the protest after hearing about its cause. The city police later handed him over to the Q Branch police.Earlier in the day, 14 of the total 20 persons from the Tamilar Ilangar Ezhurchi Pasarai were arrested for protesting in front of the Sri Lankan Airlines office at Nungambakkam demanding that the Central Government impose an economic ban on Sri Lanka as resolved by the Tamil Nadu Assembly.The protestors also demanded that Sri Lankan President Rajapakse be declared a war criminal and take action to prevent repeated attacks on Tamil fishermen.  The arrested men were released later in the evening.