COLOMBO, June 4 (Xinhuanet) -- Sri Lanka's northern and eastern provinces were brought to a complete standstill Friday by a Tamil Tiger backed action demanding withdrawal of extra military presence in the eastern port town of Trincomalee, police said Saturday.

   

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    Public transport was brought to a complete halt while offices, shops and schools remained closed.

    Although no major incidents of violence were recorded, at least six people were injured in a grenade explosion in Trincomalee.

    The Trincomalee District Tamil People's Forum called the one day protest action Friday, claiming that a government pledge to withdraw additional military from Trincomalee had not been kept.

    Extra security measures were put in place in Trincomalee when violence erupted in the city last month with Tamil groupsdemanding the removal of a Buddhist statue erected by the Sinhalese Buddhists in the multi-ethnic city.

    The dispute ended up in court later and the government has sought time until June 15 to comply with the court order whichsaid that all unauthorized religious structures should be removed.

    Reports from the northern Jaffna peninsula said that the exit point manned by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) at Muhamalai was closed on Friday with people who wanted to leave north being asked to turn back.

    The protesters had burnt tires on deserted roads in the peninsula while an attempt to set fire to a military road blockhad been prevented. Enditem