A Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) organiser in Vavuniya has lodged a police complaint alleging that a local leader from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) threatened to kill him for exposing ongoing land grabs in the Thirivaithakulam area.
S. Thavapalan, the TNPF’s district organiser for Vavuniya, filed the complaint with the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in Vavuniya on Monday, claiming that an SLPP organiser issued the death threat after he publicised the illegal occupation of Tamil-owned lands.
According to Thavapalan, settlers from Pogaswewa have unlawfully seized land belonging to Tamils in Thirivaithakulam. During a field inspection in July, he and his team documented the encroachment and presented their findings to the media. He noted that the rightful Tamil owners of the land had previously been detained, and when they attempted to reclaim their property, the Forest Department filed charges against them. Those cases, which lingered for three years, were eventually dismissed.
Thavapalan further alleged that a group led by Bimal Dharmaraja — identified as a local organiser for Mahinda Rajapaksa’s SLPP faction, known colloquially as the “Mottu Party” — had bulldozed forested areas with heavy machinery and converted them into farmland. “These activities were brought to light through the media,” he said, claiming that his involvement in revealing the illegal occupation had made him a target for reprisals.
On 30 September, a delegation comprising Vanni Member of Parliament P. Sathiyalingam and a Vavuniya North Pradeshiya Sabha member visited the contested site to assess the situation. Upon their arrival, individuals associated with the land-grabbing group, including those linked to Bimal Dharmaraja, reportedly acted in a threatening manner.
The group allegedly mentioned Thavapalan by name, along with Pradeshiya Sabha member Tamil Selvan and Vanni MP Durairaja Ravikaran, asking whether they were present. In front of MP Sathiyalingam, the group was heard saying, “We have come to cut them down; we have come to kill them.” The threats and intimidation were reportedly captured on video.
Although the area falls under the jurisdiction of the Pogaswewa Police Station, Thavapalan said he submitted his complaint directly to the Vavuniya SSP, who advised that the matter would be referred to the local police for investigation. His sworn statement has been recorded.
Thavapalan accused settlers of unlawfully seizing around 210 acres of Tamil-owned land in collaboration with certain government departments. He said authorities have remained silent as settlers continue to destroy and occupy the land.
He vowed that, despite the threats, the Tamil National People’s Front would continue to fight to reclaim Tamil lands in Thirivaithakulam, which have faced persistent attempts at demographic change through state-backed Sinhalisation.
