42 Tamil civilians arrested in Kohuwela

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 February 2007, 19:44 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Government security forces in a cordon and search operation conducted Sunday night in Kohuwela in Colombo arrested 42 Tamil civilians including girl students, sources in Colombo said.

Police allege that those arrested failed to prove their identity and the purpose of their stay in the area.

However, relatives of thearrested youths said the police refused to release the detainees even after they produced valid legal documents to prove their identity and reasons for their stay.

Meanwhile, in Nattandiya in Negombo police division seven upcountry Tamil youths working in a coir factory were taken into custody by the government security forces in a search operation, and are being detained in Negombo police station.