Madurai, JAN. 17 (PTI/GNA) Suspected Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) party activists set ablaze a bus and damaged several others in the district demanding Central and Tamil Nadu government's intervention to stop the ongoing war between Sri Lankan army and LTTE in the island, officials said on Saturday.

As VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan observed indefinite fast in Maraimalai Nagar near Chennai on the Lankan issue for the past three days. The party activists went on the rampage on Friday night, shouting pro-LTTE slogans and attacking a number of buses in different places in the district. Officials said four persons got into the Alanganallur-Melur bus at Oorcheri asked the sole passenger to get down and forced the driver to stop the bus at Malaipatti at knife point. Later they poured petrol and set the bus on fire.

All the seats in the bus were charred in the fire. In another incident near Othakadai a petrol bomb was hurled at a bus. Some seats were damaged, officials said. More than 10 buses were damaged in stone pelting at Kodikulam, Chekkanoorani, Oothupatti, Puliangulam, Kallandhiri, Alamarathupatti and Muduvarpatti. The violence forced transport officials to stop the night bus services. Buses were attacked at Goripalayam, Sellur and Anna Nagar in the city. Hundreds of passengers were stranded at Arapalayam bus stand after the violence as buses were not operated after 9.30 pm, officials said, adding no one was injured in the incidents. 17 JAN.09