STF operation in Palugamam

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A large contingent of the Special Task Force (STF) and the Police moved into the Tiger held village of Palugamam around 7 a.m. this morning. Palugamam is a large village about 24 kilometers south west of Batticaloa across the lagoon where the Liberation Tigers had many of their military, financial and other administrative centres.

The operation was aimed at searching the house of 'Ramanan' who, according to the army, is currently the headof the LTTE's intelligence in Batticaloa.

The Police and Sri Lankan army intelligence claim that he is the master mind behind most of the bombs which have gone off in the south and the attacks in the Yala and Kadirgamam (Kattaragma in Sinhalese).

His parents and relatives had been questioned and some identity papers were removed by the STF from his house said sources.

No one was allowed to enter the area until 10.30 a.m. this morning when the STF withdrew from Palugamam and across the Pattiruppu bridge.