A group of Jaffna University students who had traveled to Mylathamadu in Batticaloa to support Tamil cattle farmers in their protest were arrested by Santhiveli police. The students were intercepted on their return to Jaffna and subsequently taken into custody, raising concerns about the situation in Mylathamadu and its implications.

The protest in Mylathamadu revolves around the demand for the evacuation of intruders from grazing lands, allowing the cattle of local farmers access to approximately 300,000 to 400,000 cattle, a promise that was reportedly granted or pledged at the Court of Appeal long ago.

The arrest of the Jaffna University students has drawn attention to the escalating tensions in Mylathamadu, where farmers are seeking the implementation of long-standing commitments to provide grazing lands for their cattle. The students had journeyed to Mylathamadu to express solidarity with the farmers' cause.

The dispute over grazing lands has become a hot-button issue in local politics, highlighting the broader challenges faced by Tamil cattle farmers who have long struggled to access adequate grazing areas for their livestock.