EPDP chairman of Neduntheevu civic body shot and killed

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 November 2013, 08:23 GMT]
Tension prevails in Nedun-theevu (Delft) where the president of civic council, Daniel Rexian alias Rajeev, was shot and killed on Tuesday. Although the exact motive behind his killing is not known, civil sources said Mr Rexian was at odds with the occupying Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) on reconstructing a monument in memory of the brutal boat massacre by the SLN, news sources at the farthest inhabited island off the Jaffna Peninsula said on Wednesday. The killing also comes following reports of internal conflict within the EPDP in Neduntheevu.

The EPDP was quick to claim that “Comrade Rajeev” had committed suicide. But, medical sources that conducted an autopsy rejected the possibility of suicide. An investigation is to follow, the SL police said.

The SL Navy at Neduntheevu has been opposed to the reconstruction of the memorial site, which was dismantled as the occupying Sri Lankan State was reconstructing Neduntheevu into a tourist resort run by its navy and the EPDP paramilitary.

However, Mr Rexian, reflected the sentiments of the local people and was engaged erecting the memorial site of the brutal massacre committed by the SL Navy, news sources in the island said.

On 15 May 1985, 38 Tamil passengers, including a two year old child and three other children, travelling in boat called Kumuthini from Neduntheevu to the Kurikkatuvan Jetty on the island of Punguduthivu were hacked to death by the SL Navy personnel who came in two boats.

Delft (a name given by the Dutch) is the farthest inhabited island off the Jaffna Peninsula and is the closest to the coast of Tamil Nadu.

Chronology: