Numerous CPI (M) cadres including CPI (M) secretary N Varadarajan was arrested on tuesday as they protested against the attack against Tamil fishermen by the Srilankan Navy. The protesters also demanded the scrapping of the controversial Marine Fisheries Bill. The cadres including the state secretary were later released in the evening. The party men who initially planned to organize a picketing in front of Raj Bahavan later changed the venue to Panagal Maligai. Addressing the gathering, the state secretary said that there was no base for the arrest on the allegation that the fishermen were smuggling weapons, as the war was over.