Police, SLA search operation in Valaichchenai, many detained

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 August 2006, 06:56 GMT]
Sri Lankan Army (SLA) troopers and police cordoned off and searched several villages falling within the Valaichchenai police division Sunday from 5:30 a.m. to 12 noon, arresting more than 200 men. The arrested residents were taken to Kalmadu army camp where they were photographed and interrogated. The Armed forces later released many of the arrested but are still holding an unknown number of residents in their base, said civil sources in Batticaloa.

The soldiers took away 5 internally displaced young civilians including Maheswaran Sathiyaseelan, 20, father of one child who were residing with their relatives in Valaichchenai, after fleeing from Vaharai when it came under SLA attack recently, Batticaloa.

The relatives of the five told they made inquiries at Valaichchenai and Kalkuda police stations but the Sri Lanka forces denied arresting them.

The areas cordoned and searched were the villages of Puthukudiyiruppu, Pethalai, Vinayagapuram, Union colony, Valaichchenai, Kurinchinagar, Maruthanagar, Pandimadu, Kalmadu and Kannaki Kiramam, all falling within the Valaichchenai Police division.