Police on Thursday prevented Tamil Nationalist Movement leader P Nedumaran from going on a fast in Chennai citing that he had no prior permission for it.

Nedumaran, who tried to proceed to Sri Lanka [Images] on Wednesday with medicines and essential commodities to 'help the suffering Tamils,' was stopped and taken into custody at Nagapattinam.

Journalists, who were covering the proceedings, were manhandled by police. They also dragged the cameraman of a private television channel following which the journalists demanded an apology from a senior official.

When the officer did not oblige, the matter was reported to DGP P Rajendran and Police Commissioner G Nanchil Kumaran.