Eastern University appeals for release of kidnapped Dean

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 October 2006, 03:03 GMT]
The Senate of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka (EUSL) Tuesday appealed to the kidnappers to release the Dean of the Arts Faculty, Bala Sugumar, without further delay, officials of the Eastern campus said. Education has come to a standstill due to fear and uncertainty gripping the staff and students at the campus in the aftermath of kidnapping, the appeal said.

Bala Sugumar was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen on Saturday night, 30 September, while he was at his home in Uppodai Road, Batticaloa.

Bala Sugumar's family lost their only daughter to tsunami, and with the kidnapping of her husband Mrs Bala Sugumar is undergoing severe mental trauma, the University officials said.

Complaints have also been lodged in this regard at the Batticaloa Police, ICRC and Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), University officials said.