TamilNet editor Sivaram killed
 

BY SARATH Malalasekera

POLICE yesterday recovered the bullet riddled body of senior journalist Dharmaratnam Sivaram, abducted by unknown persons on Thursday night.

The body was found near the Diyawanna Oya, in Battaramulla.

Sivaram, editor of the pro-LTTE TamilNet website and columnist for Daily Mirror (under the pseudonym Taraki), wrote extensively on the peace process and its main players.

Three Police teams, Colombo Crime Division (CCD), Nugegoda Senior SP's Division and Bambalapitiya Police, have been deployed by Senior DIG Ranges One Sirisena Herath, on the direction of IGP Chandra Fernando to probe into the killing.

Investigations revealed that Sivaram had been abducted by unidentified men near a restaurant at the Bambalapitiya Police area on Thursday night.

The three police teams are investigating to ascertain whether the killing was done by a terrorist organisation or any other organisation.

The body of Sivaram was removed to the Colombo National Hospital and a postmortem examination will be conducted by the Colombo JMO Dr. L.B.L. de Alwis.

In addition to his TamilNet and Daily Mirror commitments, he also contributed to Tamil language papers, mainly the Veerakesari. A widely respected commentator on the ethnic conflict, he has written both for and against the LTTE. His anti-Tiger articles have been published as a book.

Before becoming a full-time journalist, he was a PLOTE militant, and general secretary of its university student wing. He studied English literature at the Peradeniya University, though he did not complete the degree course.

His funeral arrangements will be notified later.