2ND LEAD

5 students reported missing in Colombo

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 September 2008, 12:56 GMT]
Five students, three Tamils and two Muslims, traveling together from Kotahena to Bambalapitya on September 17th night, are reported missing, according to complaints lodged by their relatives to Maradana Police and Kotahena Police. All were born and grew up in Colombo. One of the students was to leave Sri Lanka last Thursday for higher studies in London with his father.

N.Rajiv, 21, who was to leave Sri Lanka from Shoe Street Kotahena, Visvanathan Pradeep, 17, of Vasala Street, Kotahena and a student of Bambalapitya Hindu College, and Ramalingam Thilakesh, 17, of Bloemendhal Housing Complex, Kotahena and a student of Nicholas Vidiyalayam, Mohamed Dilan, 24, and Mohamed Sajith, 24, from Maradana have failed to return till Friday, 19 September.

One of the Muslim person is a part time businessman, the other is a clearing agent. Relatives have requested the police to hold inquiry to ascertain whether they had been taken into custody by the police or abducted by unidentified armed persons on their way to Bambalapitya, media sources said.