Student detained by Batticaloa police gets ill, parents complain

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 March 2008, 17:56 GMT]
A 28-year-old student of Batticaloa Technical College located at Magnchaththoduvaay, arrested by Special Task Force (STF) personnel 19 days agon, on March 6 and still detained by the police, is reportedly suffering from chest pain caused by harassments at Batticaloa police station. The relatives of the victim, Suntharamoorthy Anandan, has complained to the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) and to the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission.

The STF arrested the student at his work place, a private engineering firm, where he was working on a part time to ease financial burden of his family. The STF handed over the student to the Batticaloa police station the same day around 7:00 p.m.

Mr. Sutharamoorthy Anandan, who has been suffering from fits since his childhood, was subjected to harassment while in custody and is suffering from chest pain, according to his relatives.

He joined the Batticaloa Technical College on completion of his GCE advanced level education at Batticaloa Hindu College. Anandan, originally from Paduvaankarai, was living in Pankudaave'li located in Earaavoorpattu Chengkaladi division. His parents who also fled Paduvaankarai last year due to Sri Lanka Army (SLA) offensive had recently returned to their village.