STF, police torture, forcibly drown Tamil youth in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 August 2008, 02:28 GMT]
Special Task Force (STF) commandos and policemen forcibly drowned Friday around 6:50 a.m in Urukaamam Punnaiku’lam lake in Velaave’li police division in Batticaloa district, a Tamil youth arrested by STF commandos five days ago after having tortured him, residents in Urukaamam alleged. STF claimed that the youth was a member of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and that they had recovered a pistol and a hand grenade from him, the sources added.

The victim was identified as Thambiappa Kannan.

The STF commandos and policemen, who led Kannan handcuffed Friday, to recover a cache of weapons in Paduvaankarai, through the lake in Urukaamam, had forcibly drowned the youth in the centre of the lake, the sources added.

Kannan’s body, recovered by STF commandos and policemen, was handed over to Ka’luvangnchchikkudi Base Hospital.

No one had claimed to take over the body due to fear of harassment and possible charges against them by the security forces.

Batticloa magistrate said that the killed youth was a member of the LTTE and he had drowned while trying to disclose more evidence to the STF and Police.

This killing took place 45 km south of Batticaloa town.