Four civilians abducted in Jaffna, students continue boycott

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 January 2007, 00:13 GMT]
Two civilians transporting goods in a tractor were abducted on Friday morning at 8:00 am at Pallakkadu junction in Anaicottai area near Jaffna municipal area. The abduction was carried out in broad day light in the presence of public by unidentified men who arrived in a white van. Two more civilians were also abducted, one in Kalviyankadu and the other in Irupalai in two separate incidents Thursday and Wednesday. Meanwhile, the students of Point Pedro Hartley College and Velayutham Maha Vidyalayam continued their demonstration for the fourth day demanding the release of abducted students from their school.

One of the abducted has been identified as a married man, Nagendram Thayalan, 32, while the identity of the other is not yet known. Meanwhile the relatives of Thayalan have lodged a complaint with the Jaffna office of the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission(SLRHC).

Meanwhile, another youth, Sivasubramaniam Regan, father of two was abducted from his home in Kalviyankadu in Ariyapathy Area Thursday early morning at 4:00 am during curfew hours. The unidentified armed men who arrived at their residence in a white van stormed into house after smashing the front door before abducting her husband, Regan's wife said.

In yet another incident on Wednesday, 21 year old Arumugam Mayuran, a mason by profession was abducted in Irupalai area on Kondavil Road during curfew hours by men arriving in a white van. The relatives have reported the abduction to the Jaffna office of SLRHC.

Meanwhile, the students of Point Pedro Hartley College and Velayutham Maha Vidyalaym threatened to organize a Vadamaradchi-wide school boycott on Monday if the abducted students were not released by Monday.

The recent escalation in number of abductions of civilians in Jaffna has again created a sense of fear and helplessness among the residents.

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