Pillaiyan group robs houses in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 April 2011, 03:44 GMT]
Personnel of the paramilitary group led by Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pilliayan, chief minister of the Eastern provincial Council (EPC), have been involved in several robberies in the province, sources in the east said. On April 13, members of this group had robbed jewelry worth 1.5 million rupees from a house at Aaraiyampathi West Kaaddumaavadi area in Kaaththaankudi police division in Batticaloa district after brandishing knives and threatening residents .

Mohan, the owner of the house had not made any complaint to the police or to their neighbours due to fear for his safety.

Four months earlier, Mohan’s sister house located at Pu'liyadi was robbed of cash and jewelry worth 5 million rupees by a gang alleged to be members of Pilliayan paramilitary group.

Mohan’s elder brother who has been working in the Department of Excise and P. Prashanthan, EPC councilor of the TMVP led by Pilliayan, are political adversaries, according to local residents.

Prashanthan is widely believed to be behind the robberies to take political revenge, villagers allege.

Prashanthan and his aides had been released on bail in connection with the intimidation of Ma'nmunaippattu Aaraiyampathi Divisional Secretary and assaulting a village level officer that took place recently. Kaaththaankudi Police had arrested them for forcibly entering the Aaraiyampathi DS office and creating mayhem.