Senior businessman abducted in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 September 1998, 20:34 GMT]
The search for the Vice President of the Vavuniya Traders' Association Mr.K Shanmugarajah who was abducted on Sunday, Sept.13, has drawn a blank as all the armed Tamil groups and the Police in the town have said that they have no connection in the matter said sources.

The secretary of the association said today that his organisation had made inquiries from all armed groups that may have wanted to abduct Shanmugarajah.

Meanwhile informed sources said this evening that an important Tamil paramilitary group operating in Vavuniya might be holding him for ransom.

His family said that unidentified persons had telephoned them yesterday to say that he is being held by them and that he would be released once their inquiries are over.

Shanmugarajah was abducted by an armed group on Sunday morning around 7 p.m. while returning from his mill at Vepankulam, a suburb of Vavuniya.