Magistrate rules Sathurukondan deaths were murders

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 July 2006, 09:58 GMT]
An inquest into the deaths of two abducted men from Sathurukondan was held before Acting Batticaloa District Magistrate, Vinobha Indran, on Wednesday evening. The men, Murugesu Sivakumar, 24, and Satkunam Suthakaran, 33, were separately abducted from their homes in Sathurukondan on Sunday and were shot dead on Wednesday at Paalameenmadu, allegedly by paramilitaries working with the Sri Lankan Armed forces. The magistrate ruled that both deaths were murders, legal sources said.

Batticaloa Teaching Hospital Judicial Medical Officer (JMO), Dr. A. M. A. Rahman, carried out postmortem examinations and submitted a medical report to the magistrate.

The inquest herd evidences from Ms. Jeyanthira Sivakumar, 24, wife of Murugesu Sivakumar and Ms. Sumanalatha Suthakaran, 32, wife of Satkunam Suthakaran.

The inquest magistrate, Vinobha Indran, ruled that both deaths were murders.

Sathurukondan is located 4 km. northwest of Batticaloa Town centre.

Paalameenmadu is located 2 km. east of Batticaloa Town centre.

Evidence at the inquest follows:

Ms. Jeyanthira Sivakumar giving evidence said: “At about 10 p.m. on the 16th of July, we herd someone knocking at our door and they asked for the door to be opened.”

“As we didn’t open the door, the strangers threatened that they would remove the roof-tiles of our house and throw hand-grenades through the gap.

“On hearing this my husband walked up to the door and opened it.

“There were around eight armed men standing outside the door and they took my husband away. We, also observed an auto-rickshaw leaving our premises. I was traumatised and was concerned for the safety of my husband.” said Jeyanthira at the inquest.

“My husband is a labourer and we have two children. He is not linked to any militant organization.

“On the 18th of July, I went to the Batticaloa police station and registered a complaint that by husband has been abducted.

“Following day, in the morning, I heard that my husband has been shot dead and that his body is lying in Palameenmadu.” Jeyanthira said.

Ms. Sumanalatha Suthakaran giving evidence at the inquest said: “My husband, mines and sells sand and we have two children.”

“On the 16th of July, at about 9:30 p.m., while we were sleeping, someone knocked on the door, called for my husband by name, and asked to open the door.”

“Wondering who was calling for him, my husband opened the door. There were about ten strangers outside the door. They took my husband away.” said Sumanalatha.

“I searched for my husband every where, but without any success.

“On the 18th of July, I registered a complaint at the Batticaloa police station.” she said.

“Following day, in the morning, I heard that my husband has been shot dead at Palameenmadu. I went there but could not find his body.

“Then I proceeded to the Batticaloa Teaching Hospital where I found his body.

“My husband is not connected to any militant organization.” said Sumanalatha at the inquest.