Tamil MP attacked at Thileepan memorial procession

Tamil National People's Front MP Selvarajah Kajendren was attacked by a group in Sardhapura, Trincomalee yesterday while attending a memorial procession held to commemorate the death anniversary of LTTE member Rasaiah Parthipan, better known by his nom de guerre Thileepan.

The group that assaulted Kajendran opposed the vehicle procession displaying Thileepan's image and attacked it with wooden poles, despite police attempts to intervene. The motorcade was attacked while travelling from Ampara to Jaffna. 

The assailants were observed blocking the path of the vehicles and subsequently attacking them. The MP and others taking part in the procession were seen being led away from the commotion to safety by journalists and others who were present.

Thileepan died on 26 September 1987, during a hunger strike in which he had presented five demands to the Indian Government, with the hope that they would exert pressure on the Sri Lankan Government to meet those demands. Events are held annually in Sri Lanka and abroad to commemorate him and to highlight the continued struggles of the Tamils in Sri Lanka.