3RD LEAD (Correction)

SLA cordon, search Jaffna University environs for missing Sri Lankan flag

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 February 2007, 09:37 GMT]
More than five hundred Sri Lankan troopers Monday morning cordoned off the area surrounding the University of Jaffna in Thriunelvely, 4 km north of Jaffna town and launched a search operation after a group of persons who entered the premises of Jaffna University and removed the Sri Lankan Lion flag Monday morning.

On the instructions of the SLA officials to hoist the flag on the first working day after the Independence Day, Prof. K. Kumaravadivel, the Acting Vice Chancellor had hoisted the Sri Lankan flag Monday morning with the help of the security personnel of the university in front of the university building.

In a few minutes after the flag was hoisted, a group of persons came and took away the hoisted flag. Jaffna police being informed of the incident, SLA troopers and police were deployed immediately around the university in great numbers. They cordoned off and searched the university surroundings and Thirunelveli area where the university is located.

Passengers travelling in vehicles and their belongings were subjected to thorough search and persons entering the university too were interrogated before being allowed in.

Prof. Kumaravadivel said that none of the security personnel of the university had been arrested.

The security personnel of the university were interrogated by the SLA while the search for the missing Sri Lanka flag continued until Monday evening.

The SLA troopers on Sunday had warned the University administration Sunday to hoist the Sri Lankan flag after removing the black flags that were hoisted inside the University premises and its environs.

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