Monday, June 23, 2008

Former Journalist abducted in Colombo

A former reporter of Colombo Tamil daily Thinakkural, Thiruchelvam Thirukumaran, currently an officer attached to the Sri Lankan Ministry of Environment, was abducted from his house at Dehiwala by a group of men who arrived in a white colour van around 8:45 p.m. Saturday, according to a complaint lodged by his parents with the Dehiwala Police Sunday. The abductors were clad in police uniform.

The victims apartment is located in Luxmi Mahal complex in Dehiwala, a suburb of Colombo.

Five unidentified men, four of them in police uniform and the other in civil arrived in a white van and took Mr. Thirukumaran away.

Earlier, the victim had worked as a part-time reporter for Thinakkural, media sources said.

STF shoots dead 2 Tamil youths after Claymore attack

Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) commandos, an elite commando unit that comes under the Sri Lankan Police, shot and killed two young Tamil males, as the STF went amok on the residents in Ka'luthaava'lai, 22 km southeast of Batticaloa city, after a Claymore ambush killed a STF commando and a policeman in the village Sunday morning. Several civilians, including women and children, were assaulted by the STF.

Dead bodies of the two young Tamil males were handed over to Ka'luvaangchikkudi hospital at 3:30 p.m.

One of the victim was identified as 22-year-old Sivarasa Rathenthiran from Pazhukaamam. He had married just 6 months ago, according to the villagers.

The other victim is yet to be identified.

Meanwhile, 15 civilians were treated for their wounds caused by the beating by the STF. One of the wounded was to be transferred to Batticaloa hospital for further treatment, according to medical sources.

Young boys were caught by the STF commandos, held on their feet and thrashed on the wall, residents complained.

The STF personnel also smashed the televisions and equipments inside the houses during their cordon and search operation.

Shut down protest in Chengakaladi against abduction

Traders of Chengakaladi area shut down their shops Sunday in protest against the forcible abduction of a fellow trader, Thursday around 3:30 p.m. Armed men of Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) in a white van allegedly carried out the abduction, according to complaint made by his relatives with Ea’raavoor police, Human Rights Commission (HRC) and the Red Cross Society. The shut down followed the distribution of the hand bill issued by the Traders of Chengkaladi calling for the immediate release the fellow trader, sources in Chengkaladi said.

The abducted trader is Thevathas Sureskumar, 35, a family man and a resident of Aa’ndaangku’lam, Chengkaladi in Ea’raavoor police division in Batticaloa district.

Unidentified armed men in a white van had abducted Sureshkumar at gun point when he visited his mother’s home in Chengkaladi on his motor cycle Thursday evening.

Threats to traders in Chengkaladi continue unabated causing concern among the traders, the hand bill pointed out, besides demanding the immediate release of Sureshkumar.

Sureshkumar’s wife had gone to the EPDP office and pleaded for his release but he was not freed, the sources added.

Though relatives of Sureshkumar allege that he was abducted by EPDP men, Pillaiyan group dominate the Chengkaladi area.

A 29-year-old man, K. Prabakaran, from Naakathampiraan Road in Ki'n'naiyadi, Batticaloa, was abducted recently after refusing to hand over his motorbike to a Pillayan group paramilitary operative known as Oviyan.

Civilian killed in DPU attack in Vanni

An Internally Displaced Person (IDP) who was residing in Mallaavi was killed in a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) operated Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) Claymore attack Sunday around 9:30 a.m. at Paalaippaa'ni near Mallaavi, Tamileelam Police officials said.

The victim was identified as P. Sriharan. He was displaced from Pazhai.

Insurance salesman shot dead in Trincomalee

Unidentified armed persons shot dead a Tamil person employed by Trincomalee branch of a private sector life insurance company in Trincomalee town Sunday night around 7.50 p.m., police sources in Trincomalee said. The company is headquartered in Colombo.

The victim has been identified as one R.Ravisaroshan, father of three children.

Ravisaroshan was shot in a lane along College Road in Trincomalee town when he was returning home.

Police rushed to the site and conducted a search operation in the vicinity, sources from Trincomalee said.

Police shoot dead family man in Vellaaveali

Vellaaveali police in Batticaloa district shot and killed a Tamil family man Monday around 2:30 a.m. when he tried to escape from custody at Vangkaal area in VellaaveaĆ¢€™li, the police said. The man was arrested by the police last month, and was being taken to identify other suspects, when he tried to escape, the police further said.

The killed police detainee was identified as Sinnathamby Lingeswaran, 31.

Police arrested Lingeswaran for alleged involvement in several criminal activities last month in Vellavea'li area, and discovered weapons in his possession, the police said.

Lingeswaran died on the spot, the police said.

LingeswaranĆ¢€™s body has been transferred to the Batticaloa Teaching Hospital.

Woman, 3 children reported missing in Uduppiddi

A woman and her three children from Uduppiddi in Vadamaraadchi are reported missing since 17 June, according to a complaint to Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna by her husband Monday. The husband had flown back from a Middle East country on being informed of the disappearance of his family by neighbours.

The complainant was registered by Thambiah Kodeeswaran, and the missing are, his wife Ratnasabapathy Kodeeswaran, 39, son Sriram, 16, another son Srikrishna, 14, and daughter Srijenani, 10.

Kodeeswaran has been employed in a mideastern country for a long time and his family was living alone near Veerapaththirar Koayil in Uduppiddi.

The children have been attending school in Uduppiddi.

Veerapaththirar Koayil is located close to Vallai entrance to Uduppiddi.

The neighbours not having seen the children and their mother for several days had informed Kodeeswaran, according to residents.