Corpse recovered near SLA post in Vanni causes suspicion on the cause of death

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 August 2011, 14:43 GMT]
A 42-year-old family man, Philip Chelvanayakam, who had gone from his village, Kumizha-munai in Karaithu'raip-pattu, to a bank situated in Mullaiththeevu, was recovered dead last Tuesday near a Sri Lanka Army post located in Theakkangkaadu on Kumizhamunai - Mullaiththeevu Road. In the meantime, the officers of the occupying Sri Lanka Army have ‘explained’ to the family and the relatives of the deceased that soldiers manning the post had gone on vacation. Further, the body of the deceased was sent to Colombo for post-mortem and not to Ki'linochchi or Jaffna, the residents of the village told media.

The SLA was also canvassing for the disposal of the dead body in Colombo, saying that it would be costly for the family to transport the corpse back to Vanni, the residents further said.

Mr. Chelvanayagam had been working in LTTE administration earlier and was known to the SLA and was used by the SLA as translator after his captivity.

Chelvanayakam's body bore marks of violence, the residents said speculating that he had been beaten to death.