White van armed men abduct 2 youths in Jaffna peninsula

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 February 2008, 14:21 GMT]
Unidentified armed men arriving in a white van at a school in Kaithadi in Thenmaraadchi Wednesday around 7:00 a.m forcibly abducted the office assistant of the school in the presence of students, according to a complaint lodged by his wife with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna. In a separate incident, unidentified armed men abducted an auto-rickshaw driver at gun point Wednesday around 9:00 a.m at Aadiyapaatham Veethi in Kokkuvil, Jaffna, the victim's grandfather complained to HRC Jaffna.

The abducted youth is Sinnathamby Rajeswaran, 28, the office assistant at Kaithadi Vikneasvara Viththiyaalayam and a resident of Kaithadi east in Thenmaraadchi.

The abductors severely assaulted Rajewaran before taking him away, his wife said.

The auto-driver abducted is Rasalingam Balamurali, 29, a resident of Koa’naavil east in Kokkuvil, Jaffna.

Armed men in a white van abducted Balamurali at gunpoint at Aadiyapaatham Veethi as he was coming out from his house, his grandfather said.

These abductions in broad day light took place after Major General G. A. Chandrasiri, the SLA Commander of the Northern Region, promised to take special action to ease difficulties faced by students and teachers as well as general public in a communiqué released to the media Tuesday night.

The SLA Commander had also pointed out in a meeting with the representatives of civil groups Monday afternoon that there has been a drop in the incidences of murders and extortion in Jaffna.