Mysterious killings target SLA-collaborators from Vanni

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 08 August 2012, 10:04 GMT]
Three men from Vanni, who were allegedly collaborating with the occupying Sri Lankan military in harassing Tamil women for sexual exploitation by the Sinhala soldiers, have been found slain, simultaneously on Sunday night, in Visuvamadu in Vanni and in Oorezhu in Jaffna, according to news reports from Vanni and Jaffna. All those killed were from Vaddakkaachi and Visuvamadu which are located close to each other. Another striking similarity was that the killers have tried to burn down the dead bodies together with the houses of those slain, possibly to conceal the cause of their deaths, police sources said. In the meantime, the occupying Sri Lanka Army has stepped up its presence and checking in recent days.

A 45-year-old man, identified as Sivarasa from Vaddakkachchi in Visuvamadu, who was residing at Oorezhu in Jaffna in recent days, was found axed to death Sunday night.

The house where Mr Sivarasa was residing has been burnt down by the killers. However, the dead body had narrowly escaped destruction from the fire, the SL police in Jaffna said.

33-year-old Velu Vijayakumar was found slain at Redd Barna village in Visuvamadu in Vanni. His body was fully destroyed in the fire. Police sources said Mr Velu Vijayakumar had been strangled to death before being burnt inside the house by the killers.

Vijayakumar has married three times and was allegedly collaborating with the SLA in harassing widows and former LTTE female members.

73-year-old Arunasalam Ramanathan at Visuvamadu, who was living alone at Neththali-aa'ru, which divides Vaddakkachchi and Visuvamadu, was found slain with cut injuries. Mr Arunasalam has been openly collaborating with the SL military and has been widely alleged of identifying female victims for the sexual exploitation by the occupying soldiers.

Many widows who have lost their husbands in the war and former female members of the LTTE have been continuously harassed by the Sri Lankan soldiers.