Anandapuram shelling 04.06.1986
Anandapuram is a small village situated in the Kilinochchi district. The main occupation of the people is farming.
In 1986, the Sri Lankan military began expanding their military camps in civilian areas and also was shelling the civilian areas.
On 04.06.1984, at 5.00 am, the shelling began from the military camp in Kilinochchi town towards Anandapuram. One of the shells fell on the house of Ramaih Periyanpillai located on
Selva road and completely destroyed his house. Five young children were sleeping in one room with their mother. Four of the children were killed, their bodies broken to smithereens. The fifth child was taken to hospital with serious injuries to the head and the body. He died in the hospital. Mother also sustained serious injuries.
All the people displaced from Anandapuram due to the heavy shelling. When the people returned to their village they had to bury the bodies of the four dead children in their won yard.
A memorial stone was installed at the place where the children were buried. A clock tower was also built in memory of the five
children. Both of these memorials were destroyed by the Sri Lankan military in its later attacks. Four of the five children killed were students of the Kilinochchi central college.
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