Paramilitary men lob grenade, demand ransom in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 February 2010, 02:50 GMT]
Paramilitary men alleged to be collaborating with Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Intelligence Unit in Jaffna lobbed two hand grenades on the house of a person in Araali East in Valikaamam Tuesday night in an attempt to threaten him to pay two million rupees demanded by them, sources in Jaffna said. One of the grenades had exploded and following the attack the person had been threatened on phone that his life will be in danger next time if he does not pay the demanded sum of money, the sources added.

The hand grenades were lobbed by men on motorcycles in front of the house and the unexploded grenade was found on Wednesday morning.

The owner of the house had been already threatened to pay the extortion money but he had not given in to the demand.

A complaint has been made to Vaddukkoaddai police Wednesday on the grenade attack.

Extortion by men alleged to be collaborating with SLA Intelligence Unit from traders, lawyers, intellectuals and other wealthy persons in Jaffna peninsula continues but they do not report it to the police for fear of consequences.

Building contractors too are demanded money by the paramiliary men.

Though SLA officials had asked people to inform them if anyone tries to extort money the incidents of extortion continue and this indicates that the paramilitary men who extort money are operating with the blessing of SLA, the sources said.