Sampanthan's son, aide injured in attack by Sinhala group

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 November 2004, 17:31 GMT]
Ramesh Senthooran, youngest son of Mr.R.Sampanthan, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader and his aide Mr.Gopal were injured in an attack by a group of Sinhalese believed to be members of a Sinhala political party, at Srimavopura, a Sinhala settlement located about 2 km off north of east port town in Uppuveli area on Saturday night around 7 p.m. The injured were warded in the Trincomalee general hospital, police said.

A group of Sinhalese blocked the three-wheeler in which both were returning to their residence in Trincomalee town from their estate in Allesgarden and started assaulting them with poles. Mr.Ramesh Senthooran was punched in his face while being seated inside the vehicle. Mr.Gopal received cut injuries on his forehead which needed several stitches, hospital sources said.

Mr.Ramesh Senthooran lost one of his teeth in the assault, medical sources said.

Meanwhile, police sources said few hours before the Srimavopura attack, riot squad of Trincomalee police baton charged and used tear gas to disperse a crowd of Sinhalese persons believed to be members of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) who were proceeding in a procession in more than thirty three wheelers to attend a meeting held at Sangamitta Buddhist Rest disregarding the instruction of the police.

Some of the dispersed Sinhalese persons are said to have assembled at Srimavopura area and started attacking Tamil civilians passing through the area, police said.

This follows another incident Friday when Trincomalee Police dispersed a violent Sinhala crowd by baton-charging and using tear gas when they tried to go through the Inner Harbour Road where Hindu Cultural Hall is located demanding that the LTTE Tiger flag hoisted to celebrate Maveerar Day at the hall should be brought down.

JVP parliamentary group leader Mr.Wimal Weeravanse in parliament Saturday raising a point of order said the Trincomalee Police had assaulted Trincomalee district JVP parliamentarian Mr.Jayantha Wijesekara when he led the protest march Friday in Trincomalee. He wanted the Deputy Defence Minister to take action against the Trincomalee Police on his complaint, parliamentary sources said.