Medical condition of Tamil woman prisoner serious, MP tells SL President

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 July 2006, 19:54 GMT]
Ms Thirumahal Chithrasenan, 35, being held in women's wing of the high security Welikada prison after being arrested on 8 September 1996 on suspicions of affiliation with Liberation Tigers, has been seriously ill and requires urgent medical treatment, said Jaffna parliamentarian S. Kajendran in a letter sent to Sri Lanka's President Rajapakse on 7th July, sources close to the parliamentarian said.

The letter alleges that due to torture by the intelligence operatives of the Sri Lanka Security forces, including severe blows to her head, the victim may be suffering from illnesses including tumor in the brain caused by internal bleeding. Thirumahal has been suffering from excruciating pain for the last six months, and although she has received treatment in prison, situation has not improved and she urgently requires medical attention to diagnose the illness, the letter said.

The parliamentarian pointed out that her husband is also in Kalutara prison and their only child is being looked after by their relatives.

Mr Kajendran appealed to the SL President to take steps to assist her in receiving proper medical treatment on humanitarian grounds.