Paramilitary assaults Village Officer in Batticaloa over flood relief distribution

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 January 2011, 19:42 GMT]
The Village Officer of Aaraiyampathi S.Suresh was assaulted by a group of persons led by P. Prashanthan, a TMVP person and a councillor of the Eastern Provincial Council Sunday morning in the presence of a police officer. The TMVP - Pillayan group has assaulted the Mr. Suresh while he was supervising the distribution of relief goods to flood-affected families sheltered in Ramakrishna Mission Mahaa Viththiyaalayam.

The wounded Villager Officer has been admitted at the Batticaloa Teaching Hospital.

Complaints have been lodged with the police against Amalan, the driver of Prashanthan, Nathan, Kuddi and TMVP operative Kannan in connection with the assault.

Aaraiyampathi Social Development Centre (ASDC) took the initiative to distribute relief materials to the affected families sheltered in the school as no one came forward to help the flood victims.

This had irritated the local TMVP members that their popularity in the area was at stake and put several obstacles to the ASDC.

Meanwhile, the welfare centre in the school was taken over by the Divisional Secretariat.

But the ADSC returned a consignment of relief goods handed over by the DS office stating that the quantity was not sufficient for the inmates.

A team of police personnel rushed to the site on receipt of information that there was unrest in the area. But in the presence of the police the GN was assaulted by a group led by Prashanthan.

In the meantime the Ma'nmunaippattu DS office was closed down on Monday when members of public attacked the DS office alleging that relief goods had been hidden inside.

The police arrested some of the civilians involved in the attack on the office and security has been given to the DS office.

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