A recent incident of rape and murder of an 18-year-old school girl in Pungudutivu of the Northern Province, which triggered violence on Wednesday in Jaffna, has now turned into a full-fledged political row among various parties.
The girl, who went missing on May 13, was found dead a day later. Nine persons have been arrested so far. On Wednesday, barring one, all others were produced before a court in Jaffna; people who had gathered in the court complex went on rampage.
As many as 130 persons were arrested by the police for rioting. The town observed a bandh in protest against the incident.
Reacting to the reports of violence, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, after a function in the Uva Province on Thursday, said it had symptoms of revival in militancy. He also called upon the police to take quick action against those responsible for the violence. On Friday, Justice Minister Wijedasa Rajapaksha termed the former President’s reported statement as “malicious.”
To a query, he described the protest as “spontaneous,” a view also held by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), even though the Alliance leaders condemned the violence.
Ten police officers including Superintendent of Police of Jaffna have been transferred with immediate effect, said the police spokesperson.
