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Passengers have raised concerns after Sri Lankan naval personnel allegedly transported large quantities of alcohol aboard a civilian passenger vessel travelling to Neduntheevu.
The boat, named “Nedunthaarakai,” departed from Kurikkattuwan on Monday evening en route to Neduntheevu, an island off the Jaffna peninsula. According to reports, Sri Lankan naval personnel loaded a substantial consignment of alcoholic beverages onto the vessel and conveyed them to the island while it was carrying a significant number of passengers.
Those on board included women and children. Despite this, naval personnel are said to have boarded with large quantities of alcohol and used the public ferry to transport the consignment.
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Passengers have questioned the conduct of the navy and raised concerns about the safety and appropriateness of transporting alcohol on a vessel used for civilian travel. The incident has also drawn attention to the broader presence and authority exercised by the Sri Lankan military in the North-East, where civilian spaces continue to be heavily monitored and controlled.
It is further alleged that no action was taken by the Sri Lankan police regarding the transportation of excessive amounts of alcohol by naval personnel on a public passenger vessel.
The incident comes amid long standing concerns from Eelam Tamils over militarisation and the role of the Sri Lankan security forces in daily life across the Tamil homeland.
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