Jaffna Mayor Manivannan has been arrested and taken to Vavuniya by the TID. The mayor of Jaffna and attorney at Law V.Manivannan was arrested today by the TID in connection to a "police force" set up by the Jaffna Municipal Council. Mayor Manivannan and Municipal Commissioner Varatharajah Parthiban were brought to the Jaffna Police Station yesterday (April 8th, 2020) at approximately 8:00 p.m. The Sri Lankan police conducted inquiries and acquired statements from both individuals on matters concerning the supposed new police force. These inquiries lasted until 2:00 a.m. this morning (April 9th, 2021). After these inquiries had concluded, Mayor Manivannan was handed over to the TID (Terrorist Investigation Division) based on the statements provided by both himself and Varatharajah Parthiban. A complaint was filed stating that the newly established "Jaffna Municipal Police Force" was identical to the existing Sri Lankan Police and that the uniforms worn by the members of the "Jaffna Municipal Police Force" were identical to uniforms worn by the Tamil Eelam Police. It is to be noted that Varatharajah Parthiban was summoned to the Jaffna Police Head Quarters on the morning of April 8th and was subjected to hours of inquiries. Subsequently the "Jaffna Municipal Police Force" was ordered to suspend their operations immediately, and the uniforms of the group were confiscated by the Sri Lankan Police. Furthermore, the 5 members of the "Jaffna Municipal Police Force" provided statements to the Sri Lankan police after surrendering their uniforms to the Sri Lankan Police. It is worth noting that a confession obtained from Municipal Councilor Varatharajah Parthiban included details regarding the arrangement of the uniforms the police had confiscated from the “Jaffna Municipal Police Force".
