News in Brief:

[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 June 1999, 03:18 GMT]
Eight reported missing from Jaffna in May; Body washes ashore at Kaytes; Preparations underway for Madhu feast and LTTE attack repulsed say police.

Eight reported missing from Jaffna in May

Ms.Gowri Sundralingam, a Human Rights Commission (HRC) official in Jaffna said that eight people, including 6 school students, have been reported missing in Jaffna during the past month. Forty-five people were arrested during the same period, she added.

Meanwhile Vimaleswaran, 25, was arrested by the Sri Lanka Army in Gurunakar at around 5.00 a.m. yesterday. The SLA said that they found two grenades in his possession.

Vimaleswaran was arrested as he set out fishing in the Jaffna lagoon.

Elsewhere in Jaffna, Peter Brighton, 26, and Arulthas Christopher,19, were arrested by the Sri Lankan Army from their homes in Gurunakar at around 10.00 p.m. yesterday.

Navaratnarasa Tharmathas, 25, was also arrested by the Sri Lankan Army from his home in Kaithady.

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Body washes ashore at Kaytes

A dismembered body in a highly decomposed state washed ashore at Kaytes in Jaffna this morning.

The Additional Magistrate for Kayts, S.Ilangovan, has ordered a post-mortem.

Meanwhile the police in Chavakachcheri handed over the body of a youth to the Jaffna hospital. The body has not been identified yet.

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Preparations underway for Madhu east

Fr. Xavier Croos, the Vicar General of the Mannar Diocese, said in a communiquÈ issued yesterday that the Madhu Feast will be low key this time.

He said that accommodation and other facilities usually provided for the pilgrims will not be available in full this time.

Meanwhile, Mr.S.M.Croos, the Government Agent for Mannar said that steps have been taken to provide the expected 50,000 pilgrims with travel, water, electricity and food. The Madhu feast starts on June 23 and the main festival will be on August 2.

Mr. S.M. Croos further said that the Madhu area will be provided with electricity from June 15 and other rehabilitation work is in progress.

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LTTE attack repulsed - Police

Police sources said that an LTTE attack on Pulmoddai Police Station last night was repulsed.

They said that 3 civilians were wounded and a house was damaged in the LTTE's motar fire.

Meanwhile one SLA soldier was killed and three others were wounded in a shoot out following a brawl between them at Chunnakam, 7 km. north of Jaffna, at around 7.00 a.m. yesterday.

The wounded have been admitted to the Jaffna hospital.