Chivalry goes astray?

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
For a family at Milavuchchandi near Rasavinthotam in Jaffna town, insult turned to injury on April 19, when members of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), to whom the houshold turned for protection, abducted a youg girl and removed her to Manipay, said sources in Jaffna.

The problems began when two gangs had started fighting and stones were hurled by both parties. One party had complained to the Eelam Peoples' Liberation Front (EPDP), while the other had complained to TELO.

Following the complaint, the EPDP had said it would stay overnight in the home of the group that had complained to it, so as to discover the culprits.

On hearing this, the TELO said it would do likewise in the house of the family which had complained to its office.

In the night however, TELO members abducted a 14 year old girl and took her to Manipay in a van. She was eventually released after others intervened.

Last Wednesday, the same van had passed the house where the fracas had taken place on the previous Sunday. Just then, a group of bystanders had made some disparaging remarks. pointed to the van and made disparaging remarks.

The TELO members in the van had alighted, entered a neighbouring house and assaulted a person named Anthonypillai, who was an innocent resident of the house.

Anthonypillai was not among those who made insulting remarks at the TELO members travelling in the van, said sources.