3 Tamils abducted in Colombo suburb

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 April 2008, 16:22 GMT]
Three men in military uniform and two in civil clothes in a white van abducted a trader from his house in Kotahena (Koddaagncheanai) Wednesday around 6:00 a.m, according to complaint made by the victim's wife to Upcountry People's Front parliamentarian and Sri Lankan Deputy Minister, P. Rathakrishnan. Meanwhile, unknown men in white van abducted two family men Friday in Kotahena in front of Viyaakula Maathaa Church on New Chetty street, the relatives of the two men, who were from Jaffna, complained to Mr. P. Rathakrishnan and Western Peoples’ Front Colombo District Parliamentarian, Mano Ganesan.

The trader abducted is Kovinthasamy Nakanathan, 57, a resident of Chappaaththu Veethi (No. 87), in Kotahena.

The men who arrived in white van had knocked on the door. When Nakanathan opened the door, they took him away saying he was to be interrogated.

The trader is a heart patient. Though she had tried to get information from various police stations her husband is still missing, the trader's wife told Mr. Rathakrishnan.

She sought help from the Deputy Minister to find her husband and said that she does not know the reason for his arrest.

The family men abducted Friday are Immanuel Anthonypillai, 57, native of Koiyaaththoaddam in Jaffna, presently living in Navagampura, Colombo and Irapiyal Bernard, 47, native of Paasaiyoor in Jaffna, living in Kotahena, Colombo, according to complaints made by their relatives to the Deputy Minister and the MP.

They have also registered complaints with the police in Kotahena and Grandpass.

Bernard from Paasaiyoor, the father of 3 children, had come to Colombo in March and had sent his son abroad 3 weeks ago, the relatives said.

Anthonypillai from Koiyaaththoaddam, the father of one child, is a friend of Bernard and had been living in Colombo for more than 20 years, they added.

Sri Lankan deputy minister said that the three-wheeler drivers who happened to be at New Chetty street Friday noon had seen Bernard and Anthonypillai abducted by men in a white van according to the complaints made to the police by the relatives.