Chennai: Former National Security Advisor (NSA) M.K. Narayanan was in for an umpleasant surprise as he was attacked by a radical Tamil activist with a slipper at the end of a colloquium on ‘The Future of Sri Lankan Tamil Refugees in India,’ organised by The Hindu Centre for Politics and Public Policy, on Wednesday. He was the key speaker at the event.
Narayanan had climbed down from the dais, escorted by N. Ram, chairman, KSL, and as he approached the front row, the young man proceeded towards the former NSA and threw a slipper at him. The slipper glanced the back of Narayanan’s head and fell into Ram’s hand, as he was standing right behind.
After the incident, police immediately apprehended him and took him to the Royapettah police station. According to police sources, Prabhakaran of Aranthangi in Pudukottai, is a Sri Lankan Tamil and his family moved to Tamil Nadu in the 1970s. He reportedly belongs to the May 17 Movement and entered the venue registering himself with the name Raghavan for the event.
“When he was coming out, he hit the former Security Advisor. He was immediately taken away by the police. He shouted slogans against Mr. Narayanan,” said a police officer. He added that they had detained some 50 members of the May 17 movement on Goudia Mutt Road.
A radical group named ‘May 17 Movement’ had earlier announced that its members would protest against the event and stage an attack on the participants. Following the threats issued by them, a heavy posse of police personnel was deployed at the venue.
(Inputs from The Hindu)
