Tamil youth brutally assaulted for questioning Pillayan at Rajapaksa campaign

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 December 2014, 13:12 GMT]
A Tamil youth from Ka'luthaa-va'lai in Batticaloa district, who questioned ex-paramilitary operative and former chief minister of Eastern Provincial Council Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan at a pro-Rajapaksa campaign meeting at Ka'luthaava'lai on Thursday, was brutally assaulted after the youth questioned Pillayan on his merits. “We know the genocidal record of Rajapaksa, what is your record,” the 23-year-old youth had questioned the former EPC chief minister at the meeting where Chandrakanthan was eulogising SL president Mahinda Rajapaksa. The youth, Anthonipillay Atputharasa, has been admitted at the Teaching Hospital of Batticaloa in a serious condition, news sources in Ka'luthaa-va'lai told TamilNet.

After facing bold questions from the youth, Chandrakanthan instructed his associate Prashanthan to capture the youth and get him into a van.

The paramilitary operatives chased the youth, who was trying to escape. Atputharasa was severely assaulted in front of the public and the Sri Lankan police constables were watching the episode.

In the meantime, the operatives of Pillayan have also been blamed for setting fire to the first campaign office of the opposition candidate Maithiripala Sirisena in the Batticaloa district.

Three of Pillayan's gunmen, who came in motorbikes, threw petrol bombs on the office situated at Chanthi-ve'li in the early hours of Thursday, according to a complaint lodged at Ea'raavoor Police. The men had also destroyed the belongings at the office.

The former EPC chief minister, who is now given an ‘presidential advisor’ position, has been harassing the flood-affected people of Batticaloa to vote for Mahinda Rajapaksa if they wanted to get relief supplies.

Batticaloa district has been severely affected by the floods this year after 2010.

More than 150,000 people have been affected in Paduvaan-karai area alone. Agriculture in 60,000 acres of lands has been completely affected.

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