Here's the latest from Kudankulam. Launching another phase of their agitation against the Kudankulam atomic power project, anti-nuclear protestors today began a day-long 'siege' of the plant by placing fibre boats and floating buoys in the sea.

Rediff.com's Ganesh Nadar reporting from Kudankulam says that over a 1000 boats carrying over 10,000 fishermen from the three districts of Tuticorin, Tirnelveli and Kanyakumari have laid seige to the Kudankulam nuclear plant where over 75 tonnes of uranium were recently uploaded.

The protestors, including hundreds of local fishermen from Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts, remained 500 metres away from the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project, demanding scrapping of the KNPP.

Over 5,000 security personnel including Rapid Action Force, have been deployed, besides five Coast Guard vessels, ADGP Rajendran, who is overseeing the security, said.

Led by People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE), the protestors are also demanding withdrawal of police from the villages, release of those arrested and taking back false cases filed against anti-nuclear activists. PMANE coordinator S P Udayakumar said the struggle would be peaceful and democratic protest and assured of full cooperation to police.

Udhayakumar also said they would launch their next agitation in Chennai on October 29 when the assembly session begins. He would also hold discussions with the local community about intensifying the agitation. This is the second time the protestors are laying siege after September 22, when they did so at Tuticorin port against loading of uranium in the atomic power plant.