News in Brief:

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 January 1999, 23:48 GMT]
Ponnambalam to be interrogated tomorrow; Two arrested in Jaffna; Ex-EPDP cadre commits suicide and Varatharaajapperumal meets EPRLF leaders.

Ponnambalam's interrogation continue

The CID's interrogation of Mr.Kumar Ponnambalam, the general secretary of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC), will continue on Wednesday, January 20.

Mr. Ponnambalam, however, said that he has not yet been informed as to where the interrogation will take place.

He was interrogated by the Police last week at his home in Colombo in connection with a television interview. He is charged with stating that he supports the Liberation Tigers.

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Two Arrested in Jaffna

Sathasivam Thulasithasan, 18, a student of Kokkuvil Tehnical College was arrested by the Sri Lankan Army yesterday. He was arrested at his home in Chavakachcheri.

Meanwhile Savasubramanium Vijeyakumar, 23, was arrested by the SLA on January 17 from his home in Kokkuvil. He is a toddy-tapper.

They are detained at the Chavakachcheri and Kokkuvil SLA camps respectively.

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Para - military Commits Suicide

Nimal, a former member of the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) committed suicide by shooting himself on January 15.

Sources said that he was leading a group of robbers.

Two weeks ago the residence of a member of the Delft Predeshiya Sabha (PS) was robbed and the EPDP conducted a search for the stolen goods in the area last Friday.

Nimal shot himself during the EPDP's search while two others surrendered to the group. The two others have surrendered to a priest there.

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Former EPRLF leader returns

Mr. Varatharaajapperumal, former Chief minister of the North-Eastern Provincial Council met several leaders of the EPRLF, many of them from Mannar, Batticaloa and Vavuniya, said sources.

He had told them that he returned to the island to rebuild his group, said sources in Colombo.

The EPRLF had earlier denied that Mr. Varatharaajapperumal had returned to the island.