The Sampur Police has secured a court order from the Muthur Magistrate's Court to halt planned commemorations in several Eastern Province areas honoring deceased members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), particularly those who died in Vellamulli Vaikkal in 2009. This action comes in response to intelligence agency reports.
When authorities attempted to enforce the court order, the Officer in Charge of Sampur Police Station encountered a group preparing for the event. Despite the court order, the group adamantly insisted on proceeding with their plans.
Tensions escalated as police sought to apprehend the suspects. A female suspect's daughter brandished a knife and threatened self-harm, resulting in a standoff.
Law enforcement successfully de-escalated the situation and arrested four individuals - one male and three females - on the scene. They are facing charges including defying a court order, inflicting harm with a dangerous weapon, causing grievous harm with a blunt weapon, and obstructing a public servant from performing their duties.
The arrests, conducted on May 12, 2024, led to the suspects being remanded by the Muthur Magistrate's Court until May 27, 2024.
Clarifying misconceptions circulated on social media, police affirmed that the arrests were not related to porridge distribution but were instead tied to the aforementioned offenses.
During the altercation, a female police officer sustained serious injuries from a suspect wielding a sharp weapon and is currently undergoing medical treatment.
Similar commemorations were planned in the Trincomalee Port and Uppuveli police areas. In response, the respective Officers in Charge obtained court orders to prohibit these events, resulting in their cancellation in adherence to judicial directives.
