Police in Chennai, South India have instructed hotels in the city not to accommodate pilgrims from Sri Lanka after two attacks on visitors from the island.
The knee-jerk reaction by the police has led to pilgrims cancelling their plans to visit the Maha Bodhi Society in Chennai, Deccan Chronicle reports.
“A few hotels and lodges in North Chennai are denying rooms to the pilgrims from the Maha Bodhi Society, citing orders from the police,” said officials of the society.
With season for pilgrimage commencing from the end of July, the Maha Bodhi Society is now struggling to find places to accommodate the overwhelming pilgrims.
The society itself can accommodate only 250 people.
The Lankans say the police action is like insult added to injury.
Additional commissioner of police (law and order) Thamarai Kannan denied that the police had issued instructions to hotels not to take Lankans as guests.
A few pilgrimage organisers have cancelled their visits to Chennai and instead headed for Delhi en route to Bodhgay