On the 21st April 1985, SLAF arrived very early in the morning and took their positions. We were still asleep. Previously if we found out that the SLA were going to come, we would go and hide in the forest and remain there without food for a few days. However that morning, we were unaware. As our house was right next to Oddisuddan Road, we were unable to run anywhere.

They would come in the middle of the night and early in the morning and surround the roads, shrubs and bushes in hope of catching the locals. They would come from Mullaithivu.

Sivananthan Megambalam narrowly escaped death on that fateful day. His account of the incident is as follows:

They rounded up people and took them to Puthupalavu Shop at Puthukkudiyiruppu market. They arrested me too. But because my mother came running towards them screaming and pleading to let me go – they for some unknown and lucky reason did. Once they had finished their round up, they started leaving in their army vehicles. They took the people they had arrested in the back of their armoured vehicle.

About half a kilometer from our house, by the side of Oddisuddan road, there were some very thick bushes. We heard a big explosion and continued to hear smaller noises. We later found out that over 30 people were taken to a lane near Oddisuddan Road and shot. Most of the people died. Thurairatnam, the head of the Multi Purpose Cooperative Society managed to escape with great difficulty and courage. The bodies were taken in one of the SLA vehicles to Oddisuddan Road and burnt with kerosene and tar.”

Kanakasunthram Karunanantham, Self employed 39,  Seeni Josep 32, Seeni Thevathas 24, Athiriyan Amalathas 19,  Appaiya Inthiran 32,  Raimenthu Iruthayanathan 45,  Thamotharampillai 20, Manikkam Poulinrasa 21,  Kiddinan 32, Sankarappillai Saththiyaseelan, Student 21, Anthonippillai Suvamippillai, Farmer 32, Sinkaratnam Ilanko, Student 18,  Anthinippillai Daidsinssi, Student 16, Appaiya Puvanendiran, Farmer 32, Vinayakamoorththi Rakunathan, Self employed 28,  Periyathampi Balasuntharam, Labourer 30, Laxmanan 30