Paramilitary groups clash in East

[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 July 2011, 09:37 GMT]
Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna, a paramilitary leader and “resettlement” deputy minister in Rajapaksa regime, has attacked a leading supporter of Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pilliayan, another para military group leader and chief minister of the Eastern Provincial Council at a public event held in Kiraan, Batticaloa, on Friday.

Mr. Chandrakanthan was with one of his close confidantes, K. Piraba, a businessman in Kiraan, when Mr. Muralitharan, together with Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) personnel arrived at the site and started attacking Mr. Piraba, residents present at the site said.

After the clash a pamphlet was circulated in the village alleging that Muralitharan had come to the site under the influence of liquor and attacked the businessman. Meanwhile village sources said Muralitharan earlier used to visit Praba’s shop with his supporters and they were provided with meals and alcohol.

In the meantime, several appointments to civil posts made by Chandrakanthan in the capacity of chief minister had been cancelled citing various reasons by Colombo authorities and relatives of Muralitharan were appointed to those posts, Pillayan group alleges.