LTTE mourns cadres killed by fleeing renegade

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 April 2004, 13:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Wednesday officially announced that their deputy head of the Batticaloa intelligence unit, Lt.Colonel Neelan (Sinnathamby), was shot dead by the "traitorous" Vinayagamoorthy Muraleetharan alias Karuna on April 12 before he fled his jungle hideouts in the Batticaloa district, sources said.

The Lt. Col. rank is usually earned only by senior members of the LTTE, and LTTE sources said that Lt. Col. Neelan was responsible for several battle field successes.

The LTTE political division in a statement issued Wednesday said the senior cadre's body will be kept at Illupaiyadichenai in Batticalo for the public to pay its respects and later buried at the Thandiyadi martyr's cemetery.

THe LTTE statement said 'Karuna' had detained Lt.Col. Neelan since March 1. Just before he fled his jungle base on April 12, the renegade Karuna took Lt. Col. Neelan to the Marutham camp and shot him dead before fleeing the area with his accomplices.

All cadres of the intelligence unit, including Lt.Col. Neelan who were engaged in routine missions in the Batticaloa district, went to the 'Meenaham' base on March 1st on an invitation by Karuna for an exclusive discussion. Thereafter, Lt.Col. Neelan was subjected to an interrogation directly by 'Karuna,' who then singled out Neelan from others, handcuffed him and put him in detention, the LTTE statement said

On April 12, before he fled, Karuna ordered his men to bring Neelan to Marutham camp where he was staying. LTTE cadres in their search in Marutham camp on 13th April found the body of Neelan with hands tied and blindfolded.

The LTTE in its statement named four more of its cadres and a sympthizer killed by Karuna group.

The details follow:


1. Major Thamileelan (Thamil)-died on April 4
2. Captain Maventhan-died on April 10 at Kaluwankerni
3. Captain Nambi died on April 10 at Vakarai
4. Lt. Varnakeethan (Saba)- died on April 10 at Kaluwankerni
5. LTTE sympathizer Mohan-died on April 10 at Kaluwankerni