2nd Lead (Corrections)

MP slams criminal outfit for Kinniya troubles

[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 October 2003, 12:20 GMT]
Police declared indefinite curfew in Kinniya, south of Trincomalee, Thursday after Muslim mobs attacked the homes of two Parliamentarians in the area and abducted six Tamils. Police said the mobs, inflamed when Sri Lanka army units rescued the abducted Tamil civilians, stoned the troops. “This is the work of a criminal outfit that is trying to create a big Tamil Muslim clash for narrow political gain”, charged Mr. M. A. M (Sinna) Mahroof, UNP MP for Trincomalee whose house in Kinniya was attacked and completely ransacked.

The home of Mr. Thideer Thowfeek, MP, was also attacked by the Muslim mobs.

Mr. Mahroof alleged that one Mr. S. L. M Hasan Mowlavi, a former candidate for SLFP and SLMC, leads the group that attacked on his home and abducted the Tamils.

“It is a well organised criminal outfit that is bent on creating a rift between Tamils and Muslims and derailing the peace process”, Mr.Mahroof charged.

The Tamils, three men and three women were travelling in an auto rickshaw through Kinniya Thursday afternoon when they were abducted by a group of armed Muslims.

The group had called a Hartal (General shut down) in Kinniya Thursday, claiming that two persons from the town who had gone to chop firewood in the jungle Wednesday had not returned.

Sri Lanka army troops had, however, rushed to the area upon hearing of the abduction and rescued the Tamils, sources said. Troops were stoned by the angry mob as the army took the Tamil civilians to safety. A Muslim was wounded when the army opened fire in to disperse the mob.