Tamil journalist’s house in Jaffna suffers arson attack

The threat to Tamil journalists in the war-affected North and East of Sri Lanka continues unabated. Threats, intimidation, and attacks on Tamil journalists have become a norm rather than an exception going by the continued targeted incidents against them. The latest example being the arson attack on a Tamil journalist.

A senior journalist-Tambithurai Piratheepan’s house was attacked and torched and vehicles were vandalized in the wee hours of Thursday (13) in Achuveli, Jaffna.

Five unidentified persons attacked the house and torched it apart from severely damaging his two-wheeler and a three-wheeler parked there. Visuals and pictures taken immediately after the attack showed flames emanating from the house.

A small shop which was part of his house was also damaged with the items for sale inside strewn all around and damaged to the level they couldn’t be sold.

Also, a fish tank inside the house was also damaged, visuals show.

Pratheepan is a freelance journalist.

A handbill saying “Don’t portray the feelings of transgenders in a wrong way” was also found at the premises after the attack.

Initial reports say five people arrived in two motorcycles with sharp weapons broke the glass windows of the reception area and set fire to the place.

While the two-wheeler belonged to the Tamil journalist the three-wheeler is said to be owned by his brother.

Police say they have started investigations into the incident and four special teams each headed by the Senior DIG of Police, Northern Province have been formed to identify the assailants and arrest them as directed by the Governor of the Province.

Forensic and fingerprint experts who visited the place have gathered material evidence for further investigation and say two persons' fingerprints have been secured from bottles and containers in which petrol was fetched, say the police.
The police have secured CCTV footage of those who carried out the attacks and escaped.

“Investigations into all angles are being carried out,” a police officer told local journalists.

Tamil National People’s Front secretary and Jaffna district MP Selvarasa Kajendran who visited the journalist's house said the attack had been carried out with a clear intent of intimidating the journalist and demanded immediate action by the authorities.

Chairman of the Northern Province CVK Sivagnanam also visited the place and demanded the perpetrators to be identified and brought to justice early and said violence is not a solution and issues should be sorted out through talks.

Jaffna Press Club has expressed its strong condemnation of the attack and called for a speedy investigation and arresting those who carried out the attacks.

Preliminary estimates put the damage to the property at over a million LKR.
His house is situated in the Pathemeni Kali Kovil area in Achuveli-Jaffna.