Protest in East over killing of Hindu priest

Ranil Wijayapala

CHENKALADI: Residents hoisted black flags and closed all shops and schools in the Eastern towns of Valachchenai, Sittandi and Chenkaladi yesterday to protest the killing of Hindu priest Selliah Parameswara Kurukkal by LTTE gunmen.

His funeral was held in Santhiveli yesterday.

Kurukkal Paramesvara, 63, the Chief Poosari of the Santhiveli Pulleyar Kovil, Batticaloa who garlanded President Mahinda Rajapaksa during his recent visit in Vakarai was brutally gunned down by LTTE terrorists on Wednesday night.

Sources in Batticaloa said shops and business places were closed voluntarily by the people in the town of Valachchenai, Chenkaladi and Sittandi showing their protest against the LTTE who gunned down the priest.

Bells in all Hindu temples rang simultaneously as the remains of the Hindu priest were cremated yesterday at 10.30 a.m. with the participation of more than 200 mourners. As his body was cremated yesterday Police and Security Forces found the body of Mailvaganam Ravichandran who had been killed by unidentified gunmen on Thursday night.

Police and Security Forces investigating the killing of the Hindu Priest later found that the deceased has brought the LTTE cadres from uncleared areas to Sittandi to murder the priest.

The Media Centre for National Security yesterday denied accusations levelled against the Security Forces by pro-LTTE media that Security Forces had forcibly taken the Hindu priest to Vakarai to bless the President on his recent visit to Vakarai.

The MCNS says that statements made by the priest's wife, Ranjani Parameswara, contradicts the accusations levelled against the Security Forces by the pro-LTTE media. According to Ranjani, the Kurukkal had been jubilant on his return from Vakarai and has told that he was lucky to meet the President, the MCNS said.

The Priest's wife also confirmed it was the LTTE that came to their house on Wednesday night.