Murder suspect returns with refugees

[TamilNet, Saturday, 18 September 1999, 02:56 GMT]
Ten Sri Lankan Tamil refugees arrived by boat in Talaimannar last evening, after setting out early morning on Wednesday from the southern coast of Tamil Nadu, said sources. Investigations revealed that one of the returnees, Krishnapillai Rajagopal of Vavuniya, was wanted in connection with the murder of man identified as Selvarajah in 1995.

The returning refugees included a family of five which had fled Dehiwela, a suburb of Colombo, to escape the anti-Tamil pogrom of 1983.

The family was settled in Mannar but had fled to South India in 1990 following the outbreak of fighting between the Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lankan Army.

The refugees had reported to the Mannar Police yesterday which handed them over to the Counter Subversive Unit (CSU) for inquiries.

The family was granted permission to take up residence at the Pesalai Open Camp for Refugees (OCR).

It had transpired during the investigation that Rajagopal had jumped bail and escaped to India.

The Police produced the five returnees before the Mannar magistrate at his residence yesterday. The magistrate remanded them until Sept 22.