The Hindu newspaper on Wednesday decided to withdraw its request for deployment of central forces in its office premises and at the residences of five of its staffers, who were sentenced to 15 days' imprisonment by the Tamil Nadu assembly for breach of privilege.

In a statement, the Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu, N Ram, said he would write to Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani regarding the matter.

He said The Hindu welcomed the assurance given by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in her letter to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Advani that "the orders of the apex court are being fully complied with and implemented by the state police and also there is a absolutely no threat to The Hindu".

The Supreme Court had on Monday stayed the execution of arrest warrants against The Hindu staffers and editor S Selvam (DMK party daily Murasoli).

Assembly Speaker K Kalimuthu had issued the arrest warrants in connection with an editorial in The Hindu, which was later reproduced in Murasoli.