Pillayan and two others remanded over five-person murder case

Former Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, also known as “Pillayan,” along with two other suspects, has been remanded in connection with the shooting deaths of five individuals in Kalladi, Kattankudy, and Kannankudah areas in the Eastern Province, the Batticaloa Magistrate’s Court ordered today (15).

The suspect, who has been named as the third accused in the case, is already in remand custody. He was produced before the Batticaloa Magistrate today by prison authorities in accordance with a court order, following which the remand order was issued.

He is currently in remand in connection with the killing of a former Vice Chancellor of the Eastern University.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) informed the court that the first suspect in the case has fled the country, while the second suspect is being detained and interrogated under a detention order and is expected to be produced in court today (15).

According to police information, the first incident occurred on January 9, 2008, near a Murugan temple playground in Kalladi, where two individuals, including a former police officer, were shot dead with a T-56 rifle.

The suspects are also alleged to have killed two more individuals on May 22, 2008, on Main Street in the Kattankudy police division, and another person on the night of August 20, 2008, in the Konthiyapola area of Kannankudah within the Vavunathivu police division.

The CID has named three suspects in connection with these crimes, and it has been reported that the first suspect is currently residing abroad.