Around 3000 Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu were allegedly threatened by Sri Lankan navy personnel at gun point, reports the Indian news agency, PTI.

The incident took place on Thursday when the fishermen, all from Rameswaran, went out to sea and were confronted by navy personnel at the Palk Straits, the president of the Fishermen's Association, P. Sesuraja was quoted as saying.

The navy officers blocked the fishermen from passing and damaged fifteen boats and associated nets, Sesuraja added.

Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) has criticised the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) for their support of opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena in the upcoming presidential polls, labelling it a “conspiracy”.

“This conspiracy which has international overtones is a threat to national security and our hard won peace and freedoms gained by defeating terrorism,” said General Secretary of the BBS, Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera. “Non-governmental organizations and civil society organizations too are involved,” he added.

Sri Lanka's Higher Education Minister SB Dissanayake has advised girls to "maintain their beauty" while also focusing on their physical fitness and education, reported Colombo Gazette.

The minister, speaking at an event at the Kandy Badurdeen Muslim College, said that girls may face issues before and after marriage if they failed to maintain their beauty.

(Pictures: @ananthysasi)

Flooding has hit low-lying and coastal areas on the Jaffna peninsula, after several days of torrential downpours.

Several camps for internally displaced people, who were displaced by military high security zones and the tsunami, are affected by the floods and residents have been temporarily resettled in schools, churches and other public buildings.

Hundreds of families from Kaarainnagar, Kalaiboomi, Sethengulam and Valithoondal, and IDP camps in Alavetti South, Konappulam, Sapabathipillai, Kankani have been moved to shelters in the regions, reported the Uthayan.

The common opposition's candidate for the presidential elections next month Maithripala Sirisena says he will restore all military decorations and civic rights of former army commander Sarath Fonseka, who was arrested and stripped of his honours after he ran against President Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2010.

“I will restore all rights and military decorations of former army commander within hours of my election,” Sirisena said.

The presidential candidate said Gen Fonseka, who is thought to hold command responsibility for mass atrocities committed in 2009, is "venerated" by the masses.

"The Rajapaksas disparaged the general and attempted to paint a black picture of the war hero, but they could not hoodwink the masses and today General Fonseka is venerated by the members of the security forces and masses," he said.