Deepavali massacre. October 21, 22 1987.
It is the 33rd memorial day of the killing of 68 people, including patients, doctors, nurses and staff, by Indian Army’s attack on the Jaffna hospital.
October 21, 1987.
At 04.20 pm, the Indian Army entered the front of the hospital.
They came in through the sidewalk and ordered everyone there to go inside.
Then they started to shoot on the supervisor’s office and other rooms.
Several employees died, include the supervisor and the first aid car driver.
Many were killed when a grenade was hurled at a soldier.
The Indian Army entered the radiology room and shot several people there.
Many of the patients from the No. 8 hostel stayed here for safety.
Some who were lying on the ground as if dead had survived.
Firing and shelling continued throughout the night.
October 22, 1987. 08.30 am – Doctor Sivapathasundaram leaves the hospital with three other nurses.
As they raised their hands they went on shouting “We are ordinary doctors and nurses. We surrender.”
Doctor Sivapathasundaram was killed in the firing on them. All three nurses survived with serious injuries.
11.00 am – An Indian Army officer enters. A female doctor explained the situation to the officer. The officer then told the other personnel to come out as they raised their hands.
The 10 people who were alive came out. On the way out they saw doctor Ganesaratnam lying dead.
The bodies of all those who died that evening were collected and cremated.
The Indian military said they have been attacked from inside of the hospital and during the attack civilians had been killed.
Lep. General Debbinder Singh reiterated this.
However, the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government described the attack as an unprovoked massacre on innocent civil people.
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