CHENNAI/ RAMESWARAM: Five vehicles with Karnataka registration plates were attacked in Rameswaram, in the wee hours on Monday. Sources told Express that they were tourist vehicles. Similar incidents have been reported from Tanjore, Nagapatinam, and Tiruchy.
Earlier today, petrol bombs were hurled at 'New Woodlands Hotel', a Karnataka-based restaurant, situated in Mylapore, Chennai. The attack is believed to be a reaction against a video of Tamil youth being assaulted by a group of boys in Karnataka that went viral on social media on Sunday.
Police said the attack happened at around 3.45 am when around ten members entered the hotel. They raised slogans against Karnataka and allegedly damaged the tables and broke the window panels in the hotel. The outlet is a Udupi-style vegetarian restaurant founded by Krishna Rao.
Hotel staff told the police that the men threw around six petrol bombs at the hotel. It is reported that at the time of the attack, there were about 15 security personnel at the hotel but no one attempted to stop the attackers out of fear.
The attackers also stuck a one page letter in the hotel claiming that if more Tamil's were attacked in Karnataka, such incidents of hurling petrol bombs will continue to Karnataka based outlets here in Tamil Nadu.
Here is a translation of the threat note left at the hotel:
'If Tamils are continued to be assaulted in Karnataka, Kannadiga work places here (in Tamil Nadu) will be attacked. Kannadigas live here too. Beware.'
The police who rushed to the spot following the complaint, surveyed the spot and conducted inquiries.
Meanwhile, our reporter Ashwini M Sripad tweeted about Karnataka registration vehicles being damaged in Tamil Nadu.