Large crowd partake in students funeral procession in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Thursday, 05 January 2006, 09:33 GMT]
Thousands of residents of all walks of life thronged the playgrounds of the Trincomalee Sri Koneswara Hindu College Thursday morning and paid their last respects to the slain five Tamil students. These students were allegedly shot dead by members of Sri Lankan armed forces while enjoying the sea breeze with other friends on the second day evening of the new year 2006 close to the roundabout junction where a Gandhi statue is erected. Bodies of the five students were brought to college playgrounds from their respective houses from Thursday morning after religious rites.



Bodies were kept for public viewing on a special dais constructed in the college grounds. College Principal Mr.M.Rajaratnem presiding over the condolence meeting.

Religious leaders of all faiths blessed the departed students.

Bodies were thereafter taken in an open lorry decorated with plantains trees and black flags and banners condemning the killings, through Main Street via Madathady junction to the Trincomalee Hindu Cemetery for burial. About one km long funeral procession with thousands of people left Thursday noon from the college playgrounds.

It took more than an hour to reach the Hindu Cemetery, which is located along the Ehambaram Road just behind the Trincomalee railway station.

All Sri Lankan armed forces personnel deployed along the funeral procession route were withdrawn.