'Disappeared' Sinhala youths return home

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 April 2003, 16:13 GMT]
Two Sinhalese youths alleged to have been abducted by some unidentified persons few weeks ago have returned home, according to police sources. Sinhalese activists had accused Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for the disappearance of these youths.

The two youths went missing with their three wheeler two weeks ago. Few days later the three wheeler was found abandoned near Andankulam, four km off Trincomalee town. Sinhalese suspected LTTE had abducted the two youths.

However the LTTE denied any involvement, according to sources.

A group of Sinhalese held a picketing campaign in the heart of Trincomalee town near Clock Tower junction demanding that LTTE should release the disappeared Sinhala youths. Sinhalese observed hartal (general shut down) in Trincomalee town the same day in this connection.

The Trincomalee Police reported to Defence Minister when he visited Trincomalee last Friday that LTTE was not in anyway connected with the disappearance of these Sinhalese youths.

"It's purely a crime," a top police official told the Minister when he was in Trincomalee, sources said.

Police is conducting investigations to ascertain the events leading to the youths disappearance and their return.