SLA search, act of reprisal, students say

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 February 2007, 16:32 GMT]
Several student organisations in Jaffna peninsula including Tamil Student Union strongly accused Sri Lanka Army's (SLA) cordoning off and searching Jaffna Hindu College and surrounding areas Tuesday morning as reprisal against the student community and a preplanned measure to disrupt their educational activities.

Students and staff of Jaffna Hindu College, one of the major educational institutions in Jaffna, were asked to assemble at the College play ground before conducting the search of the school premises.

Key roads close to the school including Jaffna-Palaly road, Kasturiar Road were closed during the search which continued until 12:30 p.m Tuesday.

The students of Hindu Primary School located close to Jaffna Hindu College on Kasturiar road left the school fearful of the soldiers in large numbers at the parent school.

Local residents said they heard gunfire near Jaffna Hindu College Monday night along Kankesanthurai road and this may have triggered the SLA search.

Meanwhile, SLA Media Information Centre in Colombo said that a claymore device, one T-56 rifle and three hand grenades were found during the search in the premises of Jaffna Hindu College.

No one was arrested during this search.

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