It was on the dawn of 23rd July 1983%u2026. There were some shadowy figures lying in ambush behind a huge %u2018mara%u2019 tree at spot between Thirunelveli junction and the Agricultural College along Jaffna-Palaly road. Some prominent tigers including Prabakaran, Mahaththaya, Ragu and Sellakkili were among them.
Just as a military truck was approaching a land-mine exploded deafeningly. Gun shots too followed. Thirteen army men lost their lives on the spot while from the tigers side, only Sellakkili was killed. Immediately the surrounding area became strangely quiet.
This explosion marked the very first land-mine blast in Sri Lanka!
Various rumours spread throughout the peninsula making people panicky. Tension began to creep into their minds as to what would happen the next day. But none of them ever thought that this would result in blood shed changing the course of the country%u2019s history.
With the break of day, army personnel from Palaly, Jaffna Fort and Gurunagar camps came out with a vengeance, firing wildly. Children, elders, women and youth, irrespective of their ages, were killed while hundreds of civilians were wounded. The memories of that horror, after 16 years, still haunt us.
