The Controversy Surrounding the Death of Velupillai Prabhakaran

Who is Vellupillai prabhakaran :-

Velupillai Prabhakaran was the founder and leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a militant organization that fought for the independence of Tamil Eelam, a region in northern Sri Lanka.

There have also been allegations of war crimes and human rights violations committed by both the Sri Lankan government forces and the LTTE during the conflict. The Sri Lankan government has been accused of shelling civilian areas, using heavy weaponry in densely populated areas, and killing thousands of Tamil civilians. The LTTE has been accused of using child soldiers, carrying out suicide bombings, and committing other atrocities.

There are different versions of what happened to Velupillai Prabhakaran, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), at the end of Sri Lanka's civil war in 2009.

The Sri Lankan government maintains that Prabhakaran was killed in combat on May 18, 2009, as the Sri Lankan military overran the last stronghold of the LTTE in Mullivaikkal, in the northeastern part of the country. The government released photos and video footage purportedly showing Prabhakaran's dead body, which had a bullet wound to the head.

However, some Tamils and human rights organizations alleged that he was captured alive and then executed by the Sri Lankan forces.

Controversial Claims of the Survival of Velupillai Prabhakaran :-

In 2023, Pazha Nedumaran Krishnan Pillai Pazhaniyappan is a Tamil politician from the state of Tamil Nadu, India. He is an ex-national Congressman, a writer and Tamil nationalist, who has authored many books in Tamil and English. He was claiming that “Velupillai Prabakaran is alive and will be back soon”

His claim was dismissed even by other Tamil nationalist leaders such as Vaiko and Seeman.

Nedumaran declined to comment when asked about the videos showing Prabakaran's bullet-riddled body that were released by the Sri Lankan government on May 18, 2009 and then Mahinda Rajapaksa government had said DNA tests had confirmed the body was that of Prabakaran.

On proof for his claim, Nedumaran said “I was in touch with Prabakaran's family members and I reveal this with their permission" . When asked about Prabakaran's wife and daughter, he said, "All are well". But the Lankan government had in May 2009 confirmed the death of Prabakaran's wife and children as well.

NTK founder Seeman told reporters in Erode, "In November last year I got a call from London asking me to make a similar statement that Annan (Prabakaran) was alive. I told the caller, let Annan call and speak to me, and then I will make an announcement”.

MDMK leader Vaiko said the news could not be confirmed by any of his contacts. Nedumaran, a former Congressman who was jailed for 15 months on sedition charges for speeches supporting the LTTE, now heads the Ulaga Tamilar Peramaippu. The international environment and the uprising against the Rajapaksa government in Sri Lanka had created a conducive atmosphere for Prabakaran to show up, said Nedumaran. "He is going to announce plans for the people of Tamil Eelam soon," he added.

The LTTE never allowed any opponents of India to set foot in Sri Lanka, Nedumaran said and appealed to the Indian government to take appropriate action "to stop China from using Sri Lankan soil to oppose India".

In Sri Lanka, army spokesman Brigadier Ravi Herath denied that Prabakaran was alive. He told a section of the media that they had proved the LTTE leader's death with DNA certificates.

In conclusion, the fate of Velupillai Prabhakaran remains a contentious issue, with some individuals claiming he is still alive while others assert he was killed in combat. Regardless, the atrocities committed by both the Sri Lankan government forces and the LTTE during the civil war cannot be ignored. The conflict resulted in the deaths of thousands of innocent Tamil civilians and left deep scars on Sri Lanka's history. It is essential to acknowledge and learn from the mistakes of the past to build a better future for all communities in the country.