Late Thiruvengadam Veluppillai, father of LTTE leader Mr. V.Pirapaharan, was cremated at the central cremation grounds in Oo’ra’ni Valveddiththu’rai Sunday around 2:30 p.m with thousands of mourners participating in the last funeral rites, sources in Jaffna said. Thousands of people from all parts of the peninsula joined in the procession when the remains were taken from Pirapaharan’s home in Aaladi in Valveddiththu’rai (VVT) while black flags were flown and sombre music was played in VVT, despite the intimidating presence of a large number of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and policemen, the sources added. Thol. Thirumavalvan, the leader of Viduthalai Chi’ruththaika’l from Tamil Nadu and Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Sivajilingam paid their last tribute at the cremation grounds.
Prominent Tamil political leaders from Tamil Nadu including Vaiko and Pazha Nedumaran paid homage by phone from Tamil Nadu.
TNA Parliamentarians Sivajilingam and Gajendran were present near Thee’ruvil memorial monument where the remains were kept for people to pay their last respect, from 5:30 p.m Saturday. Both were with the remains until cremation.
Saturday night, TNA parliamentarians including Mavai Senathirajah, Suresh Premachandran, Pathmini Sithamparanathan, Selvam Adaikalanathan, Vinotharalingam, Sivasakthi Anandan led by TNA parliamentary group leader R. Sampanthan paid their last respects.
On Sunday the remains of late Thiruvengadam Velupillai was taken from Thee’ruvil to the house in which LTTE leader Pirpaharan was born and from there to the cremation ground in procession.
The procession went along Tho’ndaimaanaa’ru-VVT road to VVT junction and from there to Oo’ra’ni along Point Pedro-VVT road.
Thousands of men and women and school children from all parts of the peninsula took part in the procession.
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