STF intensifies cordon, search operations in Kalmunai

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 August 2008, 12:20 GMT]
Special Task Force (STF) commandos and police are jointly engaged in cordon and search operations from last week in Kalmunai police division in Ampaa’rai district, subjecting the residents to increased restrictions, sources in Kalmunai said.

Security Forces are conducting searches day and night, particularly in Kalmunai divisions 1, 2 and 3 besides Islamabad and Kalmunai town areas, placing impediments to residents to carryout daily activities, civil society sources said.

The National Identity Cards (NIC) of those going along the streets during the searches are checked while those under suspicion are being detained for interrogation.

More than 20 persons were photographed during the search Saturday and people are afraid of future harassments in the hands of the soldiers and policemen.

The STF and police refer to the photographs they have in their possession during the cordon and search operations.

Two weeks earlier the security personnel had recovered arms suspected of having been used in robberies, in the areas in the boundary between Tamil and Muslim villages in Kalmunai.

More than four persons suspected of involvement in the robberies have been arrested from these areas and are being interrogated, the sources added.