By The Pulseline News Desk
Sri Lanka Police have recorded statements from 14 individuals, including politicians, over the installation of a statue of former LTTE member Rasaiah Parthipan, known as Thileepan, at Nallur in Jaffna, Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala told Parliament on Wednesday (21).
The statements were obtained from individuals allegedly involved in financing, constructing and promoting the statue, as well as organising the ceremony associated with its installation, the Minister has said.
Responding to a question raised by Opposition MP Archchuna Ramanathan, Wijepala has said Police had launched an investigation into the incident and established that Thileepan had been a member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
He has said the statue had been taken into Police custody and produced before court as a case item.
Further legal action would be pursued on the advice of the Attorney General, the Minister has added.
The investigation follows the removal of the statue from Thileepan Memorial Square in Jaffna on September 27, a day after commemorative events marking the 39th anniversary of his death concluded.
The removal prompted questions about the legal basis for the Police action and the circumstances surrounding the statue’s installation.
Cabinet Spokesman, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa previously said Police had reported the relevant facts to court before removing the statue. He has also maintained that Sri Lankan law prohibits the promotion of proscribed organisations, including the LTTE.
Thileepan, whose full name was Rasaiah Parthipan, was an LTTE member who died in September 1987 after undertaking a hunger strike in Nallur. During the fast, he presented several demands to the Indian Government.
His death continues to hold significance for sections of the Tamil community, particularly in the Northern Province, where commemorative events are held annually.
The latest investigation centres on the circumstances surrounding the statue’s installation and the legal implications of activities associated with it.
Police have not publicly disclosed the identities of the 14 individuals from whom statements were recorded. The Minister’s statement has not indicated that any of them had been charged with an offence.
The next steps in the investigation will depend on the findings submitted to the Attorney General and the legal advice provided on further action.
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