Mannar tense following SLA interrogation of LTTE activists

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 June 2004, 13:08 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army soldiers manning the checkpoint at the entrance to the Mannar town Monday afternoon at about 1.30 p.m. stopped two leading political activists of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Ms V.Nilavarasi, Mannar District Political Head of Women's wing and her deputy Ms Kavimani and subjected them to severe interrogation when they arrived from LTTE controlled Vattakandal area.

Heated arguments that ensued between the SLA soldiers and the LTTE activists continued till 4.30 p.m., as the SLA soldiers manning the check point started to insist that the LTTE activists should submit themselves for another round of interrogation and body checkup, sources said. Army and police officials who rushed to the site on receipt of information also engaged in heated argument with LTTE activists.

In the meantime LTTE political head of Mannar district, Mr.S.S.Iniyavan, Mannar district administrative head Mr.Joseph, Nanattan political head Mr.C.Arunthavam and monitors of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) arrived at the scene.

Later, the two women LTTE activists were escorted by the SLMM monitors to their office around 4.30 p.m., sources said.

Enraged civilians of Mannar immediately launched a picketing campaign along the main road bringing the traffic to a halt.

More SLA and police personnel have been deployed in several parts of the town and tension prevails, sources said.