Sri Lanka’s police force has summoned the president and secretary of the Polikandi Fishermen’s Association to the occupying Valvettithurai police station for questioning this morning, as security forces continued to target local preparations for Maaveerar Naal, or Great Heroes’ Day, commemorations.
Residents had decorated the streets of Polikandi with red and yellow flags earlier in the day in anticipation of community remembrance events. Officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrived soon after the decorations went up, followed by police, who ordered the leaders of the Fishermen’s Association to report to the station.
During the inquiry, police demanded the removal of several banners displayed for the commemorations. Officers claimed one of the fallen cadres portrayed was “wearing army boots”, despite the image showing the individual in civilian clothing. Police warned that failure to remove the banners would result in immediate arrest.
Local residents described the incident as part of a broader pattern of intimidation aimed at suppressing Tamil remembrance activities in the North-East. Similar disruptions have been reported across the region in the lead-up to Maaveerar Naal, as the Sri Lankan state continues efforts to obstruct public commemoration of the Tamil nation’s fallen fighters.