Mani, a social worker of coastal Nallavadu village in Cuddalore district, doused himself with petrol and set himself ablaze at the Collectorate complex, raising slogans against Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and demanding that he be tried in the International Court of Justice for alleged war crimes, police said.
He was admitted to the government hospital in Cuddalore with serious burns, they said, adding he came to the Collectorate to present a petition to the collector on the Lankan Tamils issue.
The protestors, including Tamil Desiya Iyakkam (Tamil Nationalist Movement) leader P Nedumaran and around 400 people were arrested, police said. They demanded that India support the US-backed motion.
Meanwhile, expressing their solidarity with the Tamils cause, a majority of advocates in the principal and Madurai bench of Madras High Court boycotted court proceedings, demanding that the Centre support the resolution.
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Lawyers' associations including Tamil Nadu Advocates Association, Women Lawyers' Association and Madras High Court Advocates Association extended support to the boycott and their members boycotted court proceedings across the state.
The DMK-backed TESO (Tamil Ealam Supporters' Organisation) will hold a similar protest tomorrow.
Political parties in the state have been pressing for action against Sri Lanka for alleged war crimes committed by its army during the last phase of the conflict with rebel LTTE.