Urging the Indian district administration to reinstall the statue of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran in a temple near Nagapattinam from where it was removed under mysterious circumstances on Saturday, cadre belonging to Hindu Makkal Katchi submitted a petition to the Collector here, the New Indian Express reported.

Alleging that the police have forcibly removed the statue, cadre of Periyar Dravida Kazhagam too staged a protest near Sirkazhi old bus stand on Monday.

As the protesters did not obtain prior permission for the protest, Sirkazhi police detained 15 Periyar Dravida Kazhagam members. Similar protests condemning the removal of LTTE’s erstwhile chief’s statue was held by the advocates in front of the Mayiladuthurai judicial magistrate court.

According to the petitioner J Swaminathan, regional organiser of Hindu Makkal Katchi, Velankannai police personnel have forcibly removed the statue of the slain LTTE chief from the Sevugaraya Ayyanar temple in South Poigainallur village early on Saturday.

He also alleged that the police have threatened the locals and sought a written statement from the villagers saying that the controversial statue was razed down by the villagers themselves.

Stating that the installation of the statue of  Prabhakaran was out of admiration of the villagers and that the statue installation in rural temples as guardian spirits is a tradition of people pursuing Hinduism to worship iconic people of good deeds, the petitioners sought the removed statue to be re-installed at the same temple in South Poigainallur village.

Swaminathan added that the removal of Prabhakaran’s statue has hurt the sentiments of Hindus.

Meanwhile, condemning the police  for removing the statue from the Sevugaraya Ayyanar temple in south Poigainallur village, cadre of Periyar Dravida Kazhagam held a stir at the Sirkazhi old bus stand  on Monday.

As the protesters flayed the police  for removing the statue, Sirkazhi police detained 15 youth for staging the protest without obtaining permission from the police.

Similarly, Mayiladuthurai advocates condemning the removal of Prabhakaran’s statue from the temple near Nagapattinam observed a demonstration in front of the Mayiladuthurai judicial magistrate court.