The heroic historical memories of the 21 Karumpulikal during the “Ellalan” operation

The heroic historical memories of the 21 Karumpulikal during the “Ellalan” operation

The Ellalan operation, which is included in the list of important attacks in the history of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, was carried out on 22.10.2007 according to the secret plan of the national leader and achieved great success.

Four years have passed since the Ellalan operation was carried out. In every attempt to break the obstacles in the Tamileelam liberation struggle, the Karumpulikal have proved themselves victorious.

In this way, when the war began to surround the Vanni area, 21 fighters were deployed on special operations under the leadership of Lt. Col. Ilango to fulfill the great task of breaking it and bringing light to it.

Operation Ellalan was an attack by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on the Sri Lanka Air Force base in Anuradhapuram, North Central Province, Sri Lanka, in the early hours of 22 October 2007.

The operation marked the first time that the LTTE had used both ground and air strikes. During the operation, 21 LTTE Karumpulikal, 13 Sri Lankan Air Force personnel, and one army personnel were killed. Several aircraft stationed at the base were destroyed. This was the largest attack by the Karumpulikal since the start of the Eelam War.

22.10.2007 – The day the LTTE attacked and destroyed the Sri Lankan air force base. Today is the day of tribute to the 21 Karumpulikal, including Lt. Col. Ilango and Lt. Col. Veeman, who performed heroic deeds in operation “Ellalan” conducted at the Anuradhapuram Air Force Base.

Lt. Col. Ilango
His gentle smile was the other side of the volcano that resided within him. It is impossible to describe his activities during the few years he served as a secret special mission of the Imran-Pandiyan Regiment. Later, Lt. Col. Vikram joined the anti-armor unit. The bravery he displayed while in that unit was extraordinary.

In the unit that entered through the historic Kudarappu landing, a unit under his leadership had also entered the field with anti-armor weapons. A fierce battle took place with the enemy who was advancing on multiple fronts with the aim of destroying the LTTE, which was positioned under the leadership of Col. Balraj.

Ilango’s bravery, which attacked the enemy’s armored vehicle and captured the 50-caliber gun from it, and thereby attacked the enemy itself, helped to win the battlefield that day.

Since joining the LTTE, he has been involved in various special operations. But he is fully involved in each operation.

His operations range from internal intelligence work to infiltration. His experiences have made him so skilled that he was appointed as the head of the special operations team for the “Ellalan” operation.

Small teams are suitable for special operations. It is through this that it is possible to inflict disaster on the enemy using favorable cover and to organize the team under critical conditions.

When he successfully completed the task assigned by the great leader by guiding and guiding a large team of 21 people and other supporting teams, the Sinhala nation was shaken.

(These are the lines from the last letter written by the Karumpuli Lt. Col. Ilango to the people of Tamileelam.)

Lt. Col. Veeman
When Anton Balasingam came to town, he was his bodyguard. After serving in the National Leader’s bodyguard team for a few years, the leader appointed him as Bala´s bodyguard.

Veeman, who joined the struggle at a very young age, initially studied at the LTTE’s military academy. In late 1995 – when the Sri Lankan forces were busy trying to completely capture the Yarlpanam peninsula – he was included in a team selected for special military training from the academy. The war situation changed so that his special military training could not continue. When the LTTE left the Yarlpanam peninsula and came to the Vanni, his special military training was temporarily abandoned.

Veeman and his team, who were involved in different projects in the forests of Vanni, continued their special training again. Later, it was under the supervision of Colonel Vasanthan Master, who died in the final battle of the Vanni, that Veeman and his team received special training. The team was trained in various martial arts and other special skills.

It was in this context that Veeman was included in the bodyguard of the national leader. Veeman was also an excellent cook.

Veeman was assigned to various duties. Because he performed well in everything, Veeman attracted everyone’s attention. Veeman was assigned to protect Bala when he visited Vanni. Even though it was a ceasefire period, it was not a peaceful time for Veeman and the others. It is worth mentioning here that during that period, some attempts were made to attack Bala and the national leader and that the enemy’s long-range infiltration teams had moved into the Vanni. The people living in the Vanni understand at that time, the LTTE´s troops were engaged in security duty 24 hours a day along the main roads.

Even in that difficult situation, Veeman and his team worked tirelessly. They performed their duty without proper sleep, food, or rest. It was because of the trust they had in Veeman that the national leader appointed Veeman as the protector of Bala.

Later, Veeman, who joined the Karumpulikal team, was selected as the person in charge of the rescue operation of Elango. After completing the assigned task successfully, Lt. Col. Veeman, along with the others, was blindfolded.

Lt. Col. Mathivathanan
He was always lively. His liveliness and enthusiasm kept him close to everyone. After basic military training, he did various jobs and eventually became a heavy weapons training instructor. He was selected as a trainer for some anti-aircraft guns and weapons for naval warfare. At that time, he went to train in the Lt. Col. Ratha Air Guard, which was part of the Imran-Pandiyan Regiment, and his skills eventually made him a trainer.

Later, Mathivathanan grew up under the guidance of Lt. Col. Karunakaran, who died valiantly in the final battle of Vanni, and later developed himself to the point of training independently. After Karunakaran left the training college for other duties, Mathivathanan himself filled that position. Mathivathanan was a man who had effectively trained many fighters with his energy and personality. Later, he joined the Karumpulikal and was also included in the Special Operations Group. He completed the assigned task well and made himself a target for victory along with the others.

Major Ilampuli
He was doing his duty as a medical fighter in the Imran Pandiyan Regiment. He was also very lively and energetic. He had served as a medical fighter in many training camps. His contribution in some battlefields made him famous among others.

As per his long-standing wish, he got the opportunity to join the Karumpulikal. Later, he was included in the special operation for the “Ellalan” operation. During that operation, he went with the Tamileelam flag and achieved what he wanted and became a maveeran.

Along with them:
Kilinochchi 3rd Channel Sundararaj, Development Project’s Ganesh Nirmala known as Captain Tharmini.

Captain Puratchi. Yarlpanam District as permanent address, Selvarasa Dhanusan, whose temporary address is 34 Parameshwari Uruthirapuram.

Major Suban, whose permanent address is Yarlpanam, and whose temporary address is Konda Rajavathani T-8 Uruthirapuram Kilinochchi.

Shanmugam Sathyan, a resident of 4th Block Poonagari, Kilinochchi, known as Major Kavalan.

Mayilvaganam Satheeskumar, a resident of No. 6 Hudson Street, Kilinochchi, known as Captain Karuvendan.

Captain Pugalmani, a resident of Yarlpanam, No. 19, Tharmalingam Bhuvaneswaran, whose temporary address is Mulliyawala, 1st Block.

Wimalanathan Prabhakaran, known as Major Elilinban, whose permanent address is Yarlpanam and whose temporary address is Tharani Udayanagar, Kilinochchi.

Ganapathi Nandakumar, known as Captain Pulimannan, whose permanent address is Yarlpanam and whose temporary address is Pakiyanathan MR Driver Sivan Koviladi, Nachikuda.

Wilson Dilipkumar, known as Captain Anbukkathir, whose permanent address is Mullaithivu Ottusuttan Periyasalambana and whose temporary address is R. Indira Amman Koviladi, Kilinochchi.

Captain Subesan, known as Nagarasa Maharaj, whose permanent address is Mannar and whose temporary address is S. Nagendram Vattakkachi Market, Kilinochchi.

Ganesanathan Dinesh, known as Captain Senthuran, whose permanent address is Yarlpanam and whose temporary address is Jagan Udayanagar, Kilinochchi.

The following Karumpulikal became maveerar:

Pathmanathan Divakaran, known as Arun, whose permanent address was Yarlpanam, and Kanaganathan Kariyalai Nagapaduwan Mulangawilai.

Sivananthham Gajendran, known as Captain Pancheelan, whose permanent address was Mattacalappu and Nagaratnam Kanukeni Mulliyawala.

Rasan Kandasamy, known as Major Kanikeethan, from Mattacalappu.

Kandhaiya Geethanjali, known as Captain Eelapriya, whose permanent address was Yarlpanam.

Xaviyar Udaya, known as Captain Arivumalar, from Yarlpanam.

Thangarasa Mosikaran, known as Captain Eelathevan, from Yarlpanam.

The sacrifice of these brave fighters who destroyed enemy aircraft on Anuradhapuram and gave the first step to the siege of Vanni must not be wasted. Our salute to the Karumpulikal who died bravely in operation “Ellalan”.

(Translation by Tamilpriya)