Five children orphaned as 'abducted' father found dead

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 January 2011, 12:41 GMT]
The identity of the dead body, recovered from an abandoned well at Yoakapuram in Koappaay in a highly decomposed state, was concluded as that of Mahalingam Amirtharajah, a father of five children, reported missing since January 01. Mr. Amirtharajah who was earlier living in Vanni resettled at Yoakapuram, after having lost his wife in Sri Lanka Army shelling the war, and after going through the internment camp in Cheddiku'lam. He resettled with his children at his sister's house at Yoakapuram.



Since the body, found in an abandoned well, was in a highly decomposed state beyond identification, the entire well was emptied for water and a search was conducted Thursday, following a court order.

A mobile phone and a sarong found at the bottom of the well were identified as belonging to Mr. Amirtharajah.

The villagers fear that the Sri Lanka Army, relocating its 51-2 division base to the area, was engaged in creating a fear psychosis among them with an intention to force them vacate the area.



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