Subathiran's final rites to be held in Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 June 2003, 11:27 GMT]
The body of Jaffna leader of Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF- Varathar faction) Thambirajah Subathiran (alias Robert) who was shot dead in Jaffna by a sniper Saturday was taken to Colombo from Palaly airport Monday morning amid tight security, local reports said.

The body was held for public viewing at the EPRLF political office in Jaffna until Monday morning, according to sources in Jaffna.

Several EPRLF members from Jaffna district accompanied his body to Colombo.

EPRLF head and former Chief minister of the NE Provincial council Varatharajaperumal is expected to attend the cremation ceremony to be held Thursday in Colombo, according to reports.

Meanwhile, Security in the Jaffna and its suburbs has been strengthened following the killing of Mr.Thambirajah Subathiran.

Additional armed police have been deployed to guard offices of the para military groups, the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) and Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) 'Varathar' faction in the Jaffna district, police sources said.

At least ten armed police personnel have been posted to guard EPDP and EPRLF offices in the peninsula, the sources said.

Eelam Peoples' Revolutionary Liberation Front - (EPRLF-Varathar) is led by Varadarajaperumal who is living in India under the protection of the Indian Government. Varatharajaperumal's (Perumal's) EPRLF left militancy in 1988 at the instance of India and the Sri Lankan government and contested the NEP provincial council elections in the face of opposition from the LTTE.

In 1990, when the Indian army began withdrawing from Sri Lanka, Perumal feld to India.

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