SL ‘Terrorist’ Investigation Division resumes abduction-style arrests in North

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 March 2020, 21:07 GMT]
Leaked reports from SL’ Terrorist’ Investigation Division (TID) in Jaffna to local media earlier this week claimed that it had detained four Tamil youth from Poonakari (Pooneryn) with explosives at an uninhabited area in Vallipuram in Vadamaraadchi in Jaffna on Tuesday night. There was no independent verification of the incident. So far, no one has lodged any complaint with the Jaffna office of the SL Human Rights Commission, according to Thangavel Kanagaraj, the coordinator of the commission. However, he was able to confirm that 40-year-old S. Uthayasivam, a resident of Maruthangkea’ni in Valikaamam East, was being detained by the TID.

Uthayasivam was interrogated by the TID in Ki’linochchi and later transferred to Colombo for further investigations, the TID had confirmed to the SL Human Rights Commission in Jaffna.

The family man was subjected to an abduction-style arrest while he was on the road, according to his family.

The latest trend of abduction-style detentions and increased checkpoints are reminiscent of white-van abductions during the times of war, rights activists in Jaffna said.

In the meantime, SL military and police have put up new checkpoints on the A9 highway and Mullaiththeevu road within the last 48 hours, reporters in Mullaiththeevu said.

Several checkpoints were put up after the Easter Attack last year, and the ‘security’ harassment prevailing at the checkpoints have received widespread condemnation.

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