Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader Udaya Gammanpila said yesterday that former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pilleyan played a key role in smoking out LTTE terrorists from the eastern province.

Gammanpila, who visited Pilleyan in his capacity of a lawyer, told a press conference that such sacrifices during the war had contributed to the current peaceful environment in the country.

Pilleyan is currently held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in connection with a disappearance case.

“Let’s keep aside this case for a moment! I spoke with him for half an hour in the presence of four CID officers. Yet, a suspect’s interaction with his lawyer is a confidential affair. I brought it to the notice of these officers, but they remained there. Now there four eye witnesses to what I said,” Gammanpila said.

According to him, Pilleyan, with tears rolling down his cheeks, said how he defected from the LTTE and fought against the organization at the cost of his life.

Gammanpila said those who sided with the LTTE at that time had ended up being parliamentarians and NGO leaders.

“I spoke with Pillayan on April 13, the day of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, in the presence of four police officers. This was after the President and the Minister of Law and Order made statements implying Pillayan was connected to the Easter Sunday attacks. Pillayan has not said a single word about the Easter Sunday attacks, as he knows nothing about it to even make such a statement.”

“If someone is accusing a person who was in custody from 2015 to 2020 of being involved in the 2019 Easter attacks, then that person’s mental state needs to be examined. There are many politicians who have taken photos with Zahran. If one of them was arrested as the mastermind, at least there would be a small basis for such a claim.”

He said the President had signed the detention order against Pilleyan, but there is no implication of him in the Easter Sunday attack.

He said the President pledged to make some startling revelations regarding investigations into the Easter attack before April 21.

“There are only a few more days for the deadline. The President is now fixed being unable to make any revelation. The police have deceived him,” he said.

(dailymirror.lk)

(This story, originally published by dailymirror.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

The Department of Meteorology says that showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern and Uva provinces and in Ampara, Batticaloa and Polonnaruwa districts during the afternoon or night today (April 17).

In its latest forecast, the dep. noted that fairly heavy falls of above 50 mm are likely at some places in these areas.

Showers may occur in the coastal areas of Western province and in Galle, Matara and Puttalam districts in the morning too.

Mainly fair weather conditions will be expected in the other areas over the island.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Central, Sabaragamuwa, North-central and Uva provinces during the morning.

Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is expected to increase up to ‘Caution level’ tomorrow (April 16) at some places in Northern, North-central, North-western, Western, Southern and Eastern provinces and in Rathnapura and Monaragala districts, the Meteorology Department warned.

Effect of the heat index on the human body is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

Accordingly, people at jobsites are urged to stay hydrated and take breaks in the shade as often as possible.

Also, constant checks should be made up on the elderly and the sick.

Adults are advised to not leave children unattended and limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.

The public is also urged to wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.