Youth released after evidence of torture

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 June 1999, 21:57 GMT]
A Tamil youth, Thangarajah Pramanantharajah of Aariampathi, was discharged by the Batticaloa High Court Judge on Thursday when the state counsel withdrew the charges made against him under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

The accused was indicted by the Attorney General for supplying food, fuel and other materials to Liberation Tigers between 1.1.1997 and 31.3.1997.

When the case was first taken up the defence counsel submitted to the court that the accused should be examined by the Judicial Medical Officer.The Judge allowed the application.

The case was taken up again on Thursday when the Batticaloa District Medical Officer, Dr. S. Chandrapalan, submitted his report to the court. In his report the DMO said that he had found several scars on the body of the accused. The accused's eardrum had also been damaged and he had lost his hearing.

The report said that the accused had been subjected to severe torture and should be admitted to hospital for further treatment.

Following the hearing of the report, the state counsel applied to withdraw the case against the accused. Thereafter the accused was discharged by the High Court Judge, Mr.A.N.Ramachandran.

The accused had been held in remand for about 2 years.

Meanwhile 6 school students who were reported missing after being arrested by the Sri Lankan Army are thought to be detained at the Counter Subversive Unit (CSU) in Vavuniya, said their relatives.

The students were arrested by the SLA in Nanattaan in the Mannar district a few days ago.

When their relatives inquired at the SLA camps in Mannar, the army had denied having any knowledge of them.

Another Tamil youth was arrested on Thursday by the Sri Lankan Army at Chenkaladi in the Batticaloa district.

Sri Lankan army authorities said that Kuttianpillai Manivannan,17, of Mawadivembu was arrested with three hand grenades. He was later handed over to the Counter-Subversive Unit of the Batticaloa Police for further investigation.