Tamils in Amparai protested on Wednesday demanding that the Tamil paramilitary leader, K Pushpakumar (alias. Iniya Bharathi) should face justice for crimes committed during his time as Amparai's UPFA district coordinator, when hundreds of Tamil youths were reported missing.

"Iniya Bharathi, where are our children abducted by you?," read placards held mothers, who also held photographs of their missing children.

Calling for an investigation into the arrests and abductions made by Iniya Bharathi during his time as coordinator, protesters also demanded that the bodies and the remains of missing people to be excavated from his premises and sent for investigation.

Properties, wealth and jewellery confiscated by Iniya Bharathi and hidden inside bunkers within his compound in Thirukkovil should also be recovered, urged protesters.

The protest, held in front of the Thampiluvil Central Market building in Thirukkovil, was attended by Tamils across villages in Amparai district, reported BattiNews.

Other placards read: "Put Bharathy in jail!"; "Bharathi! Where is my son abducted by you?"; "You have destroyed our people by oppression".

Handing over a petition to the police, the TNA MP Chandraneru Chandrakanthan said "this is just the beginning by the TNA."

"we will continue to protest until we get our justice," he added.

Iniya Bharathi who was part of the paramilitary group in the East, led by Vinayagamoorthy Muralidharan alias Karuna, called the TMVP, was appointed as Amparai district coordinator and was a member of the Eastern Provincial Council.

In 2011, the UN Security Council, detailed evidence of child abductions by Iniya Bharathi and the TMVP continuing in the East after the end of the armed conflict. See here.

A leaked US embassy cable in from July 2007, stated that Mr Chandrakanthan and his family had been threatened by Iniya Bharathi:

"In addition to challenging other pro-government paramilitary groups, the Karuna faction has threatened existing political parties.  The Tamil National Alliance has been the traditional Tamil political party in the East but critics have often accused it of being sympathetic to the Tigers.  In the absence of the Tigers, Karuna seems intent on taking political power from the TNA by any means necessary.
For example, Ampara TNA member of Parliament C. Chandranehru told Poloff that on June 11 TMVP Eastern Deputy Commander Iniya Bharathi threatened to kill him at gun point if he did not relinquish his seat in Parliament.  (Note:  The Karuna faction may have believed that a general election will be held rather than municipal or provincial elections.  End
note)  This threat was followed by a phone call warning Chandranehru that his wife and son, currently living in London because of security concerns, would be killed if he did not resign.  Chandranehru told Poloff that he will not abandon his seat in Parliament, despite Karuna's threats."