Gopinath, a coordinator and close aide of Pillayan—a prominent paramilitary leader aligned with the Sri Lankan government—was arrested on charges of sexually abusing a schoolgirl at a leading school in Batticaloa last month.
Following his arrest last month, Gopinath allegedly sought refuge in Pillayan's office, using his connections to the Sri Lankan government to obstruct the arrest.
Gopinath, who works as an Art teacher at the school, had initially evaded arrest despite reports from the victim's parents to the school principal and officials, who failed to take immediate action. A police complaint was subsequently filed, but the authorities instructed the parents to wait until Gopinath surrendered to court with his lawyer, as directed by the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in Batticaloa.
Gopinath was not apprehended by the police and only appeared in court voluntarily. He has since been remanded.
Pillayan, also known as Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, is notorious for his involvement in various crimes. Most recently, Tamil livestock farmers in Mayilathamadu and Madhavanai, Batticaloa, who have been protesting state-sponsored violence by Sinhalese settlers, reported being threatened by a group linked to Pillayan, a paramilitary leader and ally of the Rajapaksa family.
Pillayan, who leads the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), has a controversial history and is accused of numerous abuses, including the assassination of former Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP Joseph Pararajasingham. His continued influence and the alleged involvement of his associates in acts of intimidation highlight the ongoing challenges faced by Tamil communities in the region.
