JOIN USAmid protests over a derogatory article against Chief Minister J Jayalalitha on the Sri Lankan defence ministry website, an under-15 cricket team from Colombo, which arrived here to participate in a tournament, was sent back due to security concerns.
The 16-member junior cricket team arrived here on Sunday night to participate in the J M Haroon trophy triggering widespread public protest prompting the police to send them back to Sri Lanka.
“Boys came on Sunday night and checked into a city hotel. However, police came to the hotel and asked the team and its manager to vacate immediately citing security concerns,” an official from the Cricket Federation of Tamil Nadu, which organises the tournament, said.He told Deccan Herald that though it was unfortunate, it is good that the team returned.
“The Sri Lankan boys spent the night in the airport amid tight security before they took a flight back home on Monday morning”, he added. Political parties, as well as Tamil outfits, are staging a series of protests against Sri Lanka.
Bowing to overwhelming protests in the state, the Lankan defence ministry removed the article and the picture from the website and also tendered an unqualified apology.