Arumugam Thondaman, Sri Lankan minister for livestock, allegedly misbehaved with the women staff of a five star hotel in an inebriated condition here on Friday, police said.

They said a team from the Race Course police station rushed to the hotel following a SOS call from its staff and got him back into his room, using ‘mild force’ when its plea for calm was brushed aside by the abusive guest.

According to police, the minister was on a personal visit and was staying at the hotel on Race Course Road. On Friday night, he demanded that the bar be kept open for him late into the night.

“He behaved rudely with the women staff and shouted at the hotel security staff when they tried to take him to his room. After this, the hotel called us”, said a police office.

“We pleaded that he return to his room as it was quite late and it was not nice to create such a scene, but he continued to be abusive,” the officer said. Next morning a group of Naam Thamizhar Iyakkam arrived at the hotel and shouted that he be sent back to his country.

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Police took 14 demonstrators into custody. Lankan government sources said Mr Thondaman cut short his trip and returned to Colombo on Saturday.