The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has launched an investigation to apprehend six gunmen allegedly linked to former Minister Shivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, known as Pillayan. According to Silumina, a state-run weekend newspaper, Pillayan is accused of involvement in abductions, disappearances, and shootings in the Eastern Province.
Pillayan, who served as Chief Minister of the Eastern Province under the Rajapaksa administration and later as a Deputy Minister in the central government, faces multiple allegations—including the forced recruitment of child soldiers and other war crimes. He is also accused of supplying armed personnel for Deep State operations during the Mahinda and Gotabaya Rajapaksa regimes.
MP Shanakkiyam Rasaputram has publicly accused Pillayan of orchestrating several murders in the Eastern Province for extortion purposes.
Although Ranil Wickremesinghe and Udaya Gammanpila reportedly supported Pillayan during his initial arrest, they have since remained silent on the matter.
Recent interrogations of Pillayan and former Eastern Provincial Council member K. Pushpakumar (alias Iniyabharathi), who are currently in CID custody, have led to the identification of the shooting gang. Based on their statements, two suspects were arrested last week in Batticaloa and Keselwatte, Colombo.
Silumina further reports that an armed group led by Pillayan between 2007 and 2008 was responsible for a series of murders, abductions, and disappearances targeting politicians, government officials, and civilians in Batticaloa and across the Eastern Province.