Puthukkidiyiruppu Iyankovilady massacre 21.04.1985

Puthukkkudiyiruppu is situated in the Mullaithivu district 20 Kms from Mullaithivu town.
On 21.04.1985, SLAFs from Mullaitivu as usual rounded up the village of Puthukkudiyiruppu. Government employees were identified among them and released. People who did labour work for daily wages were taken in a military vehicle towards Oddisuddan.

Sivananthan Megambalam narrowly escaped death on that fateful day. His account of the incident is as follows:

“They would come in the middle of the night and early in the morning and surround the roads, shrubs and bushes in hope of catching the locals. They would come from Mullaithivu.

On the 21st April 1985, they arrived very early in the morning and took their positions. We were still asleep. Previously if we found out that the SLA were going to come, we would go and hide in the forest and remain there without food for a few days. However that morning, we were unaware. As our house was right next to Oddisuddan Road, we were unable to run anywhere.

They rounded up people and took them to Puthupalavu Shop at Putthukudiyiruppu market. They arrested me too. But because my mother came running towards them screaming and pleading to let me go – they for some unknown and lucky reason did.

Once they had finished their round up, they started leaving in their army vehicles. They took the people they had arrested in the back of their armored vehicle. About half a kilometer from our house, by the side of Oddisuddan road, there were some very thick bushes. We heard a big explosion and continued to hear smaller noises.

We later found out that over 30 people were taken to a lane near Oddisuddan Road and shot. Most of the people died. Thurairatnam, the head of the Multi Purpose Cooperative Society managed to escape with great difficulty and courage. The bodies were taken in one of the SLA vehicles to Oddisuddan Road and burnt with kerosene and tar.”