20 youths abducted in 2 days in Amparai
[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 October 2006, 05:22 GMT]
More than 20 Tamil youths were reported abducted in Akkaraippattu and Thirukkovil area in Amparai district by unidentified armed gang traveling in white vans on Sunday and Monday, civil society sources said. Relatives of abducted filed four complaints, two in Akkaraippattu and two in Thirukkovil, sources added.
Following the abductions, tension prevailed in the area on Monday. Even though a number of Tamil youths were abducted in the recent past in the same area, people are reluctant to lodge complaints out of fear of reprisals, sources said. Earlier, UNICEF had issued statements on the abduction of youths in Batticaloa and Amparai districts, and discussed the issue with Karuna Group, a paramilitary group working along with the Sri Lankan Army in the Military controlled area, which is widely blamed responsible for the abductions. LTTE also issued a number of statements accusing Karuna Group for abducting youths. Akkaraippattu and Thirukkovil are located 58 km and 69 km south of Batticaloa respectively.
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