Indian lawyers jailed for celebrating Prabhakaran's birthday

A magistrate yesterday jailed two lawyers for publicly celebrating the birthday of Tiger chief Velupillai Prabhakaran, Chennai Police Commissioner K. Radhakrishnan said.

The lawyers were sent to judicial custody since their action attracted the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967. 'All such activities will be dealt with strongly and swiftly,' Radhakrishnan told IANS. According to police sources, lawyers K. Shankar, 34, and Muthu Siva Kumar, 32, said to be members of MDMK, distributed sweets and burst crackers in the high court campus Wednesday to celebrate the birthday of Prabhakaran.

Posters hailing Prabhakaran have appeared on walls in parts of the state.