Grenade attack on EDF candidate’s house in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 29 April 2008, 10:05 GMT]
Unidentified persons lobbed a hand grenade Monday around 8:00 p.m on the house of the Eelavar Democratic Front (EDF) candidate contesting Eastern Province Council (EPC) election in Batticaloa, at Punnaichoalai in Batticaloa district, injuring the contestant’s wife, mother and brother besides causing severe damage to the walls and windows, sources in Batticaloa said. The contestant, however, escaped being injured.

The contestant whose house was attacked is Mariyathas Arokianathan, 36.

His wife Rasathi Mariyathas, 33, mother Gnanama, 47 and brother Mariyathas Thiyagu, 27, injured in the attack, were admitted to Batticaloa Teaching Hospital.

The contestant’s house is in Punnaichoalai, Kumaarapuram, located 4 km north east of Batticaloa town.

EDF party that won a seat in the Batticaloa Municipal Council elections 12 March is intensively engaged in election propaganda for the forthcoming EPC election.

Batticaloa police are investigating into the grenade attack.

Ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) joined by paramilitary Pillayan group, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) joined by United National Party (UNP), Tamil Democratic Alliance (TDA) consisting of Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) and Eelam Peoples Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) and Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) are the political parties contesting the 10 May EPC election.

28 election related incidents of violence have occurred from 28 March since nominations were filed for the EPC election, People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) said.

13 of the above incidents have been reported in Ampaa’rai district while 11 in Batticaloa district and 4 in Trincomalee district have been reported.

Ampaa’rai Deputy Police Commissioner, Riyanci Perera, however, said the above mentioned incidents cannot be termed violent but are minor incidents.

Batticaloa Deputy Police Commissioner, H. M. S. Herath, told media that there had been no serious election related violent incidents in Batticaloa district.