Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) general secretary Vaiko on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh voicing fears about the safety of Ms. Kayalvizhi, an advocate from Chennai, who, he said, had been detained by the Sri Lankan Army after she visited Tamil-majority areas in northern Sri Lanka.
Mr. Vaiko also spoke to the Prime Minister, who told him he would do whatever he could to obtain the safe release of Ms. Kayalvizhi.
Dr. Singh also gave Mr. Vaiko an appointment for Saturday, the MDMK leader said.
Ms. Kayalvizhi, grand-daughter of Tamil poet Perunchithiranar and daughter of Tamil scholar Iraikkuruvanar, was on her way back on Wednesday from the former war zone when she was detained by the Army.
‘Whereabouts unknown'
“Her whereabouts are unknown,” Mr. Vaiko said. He added that Ms. Kayalvizhi had a valid visa and had gone to see the Tamils.
Meanwhile, the Madras High Court Advocates' Association (MHAA) urged the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo to intervene immediately and obtain the release of Ms. Kayalvizhi and her clerk, Mr. Thirumalai.
The MHAA said the two had been held at Omanthai checkpoint, which is the entrance to the former strongholds of the LTTE in northern Sri Lanka.
The Tamil Nadu Advocates' Association president, S. Prabakaran, and the Women Lawyers' Association president, D. Prasanna, also strongly criticised the arrest of the two.
