Paramilitary leader remand extended over assassination of Tamil MP

<p>The paramilitary leader Pillayan who is in detention over the 2005 assassination of TNA MP Joseph Pararajasingham has had his remand extended by the Batticaloa High Court.</p> <p>Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, alias Pillayan,&nbsp;formerly a deputy of LTTE defector turned paramilitary leader Karuna, was reportedly disappointed to not be released on Wednesday, with his paramilitary associates gathered outside the court complex waiting to greet him.</p> <p>The Batticaloa High Court judge however adjourned the trial further until January 9, 2019, extending Pillayan’s remand also.</p> <p>Mr. Pararajasingham, who was a senior Tamil National Alliance (TNA) figure, and the MP for Batticaloa district, was shot and killed by two gunmen in the early hours of Christmas day 2005 whilst he was attending prayers at the St Mary's church in Batticaloa town.</p>