Title - Protest against training for Lankan troops delays trains

CHENNAI: Suburban train services were affected for nearly an hour after noon on Friday as nearly 50 members of the Naam Tamilar Katchi led by the founder of the party, Seeman, a film actor and director, sat on the tracks in Tambaram, protesting against the training to Sri Lankan Air Force personnel at the Air Force base, Tambaram.A suburban train between Chennai Beach and Tirumalpur (Kancheepuram) was delayed more than half an hour, while other suburban trains delayed by 10 to 15 minutes.Everyday, more than 285 suburban sevices are operated between Chennai Beach and Tambaram, 16 services between Chennai Beach and Tirumalpur and four trips between Tambaram and Chengelpet."RPF personnel came to the spot and took away the protestors around 1.30pm. Now, the situation has returned normal," said a railway official.Earlier in the day, supporters of the Naam Tamilar Katchi held a demostration in front of the IAF's station in Tambaram and raised slogans against Sri Lanka for nearly an hour and then came to the railway station to block the track.On Thursday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa demanded the Union government to scrap the training programme for the Sri Lankan air force personnel at the Air Force base, Tambaram. Other political parties joined her in condemning the centre for allowing training of Sri Lankan military personnel in the state when Sri Lankan Tamils were suffering.