Five of 19 abductees surrender to Eravur Police

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 December 2006, 14:47 GMT]
Five of the 19 passengers abducted by Karuna paramilitary cadres from the Saravana Travels private bus on its way from Kathankudy to Colombo on December 20 at Korakalimadu in Eravur police division in Batticaloa, escaped Monday evening, and surrendered Tuesday at Eravur police station.

Nagamany Jegatheesan, 31, of Araiyampathy, Palipodi Kovinthan, 24, of Puthukudiruppu, Kanthasamy Kannan, 20, of Kokkadicholai, Chellathurai Premalatha, 21, and Aiyathurai Thajeevan, 25, both from Puthukudiruppu surrendered to the police.

All of them were on their way to Colombo on personal errands.

The abductors forced the passengers to leave the bus and took them blindfolded, the escaped abductees said.

They said that they were not aware of the whereabouts of the other 14 abducted civilians.

Chronology: