Jaffna university commemorates union leader murdered by Sri Lankan army

by Thusiyan
Nov 3, 2023

Students at the University of Jaffna paid tribute to former student union leader Sellathurai Purusothaman, who was killed 15 years ago along with another Tamil youth by the Sri Lankan Army.

Purusothaman was a popular and courageous student leader, leading the arts faculty students union at Jaffna University between 2006 and 2007, during the height of Sri Lankan military hostilities against Tamil students.

However threats from the military forced him into hiding, reported TamilNet at the time.

"Prushothaman had been continuously threatened to death, and the same persons who had threatened him are responsible for his killing," the JUSU said in a 2008 press release.

He was killed within months of graduating with a degree in sociology from the university.

At the time, Sri Lankan police alleged that Purusothaman had died from swallowing cyanide.

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