Pirambadi massacre by Indian armed forces commemorated

by Shabeeha
Oct 12, 2022

Victims of the Pirambadi massacre, committed by Indian Peace Keeping Force troops (IPKF) on 11th and 12th of October 1987, were remembered in a ceremony in Jaffna earlier today.

Relatives of the massacres paid tributes by lighting lamps and placing flowers before a banner with their names, marking one of the first massacres of Eelam Tamils by Indian troops.

The IPKF arrived in 1987 and soon began committing many atrocities against Tamil civilians as they were deployed across the North-East.

On 11 October 1987, Indian forces in heavy military vehicles moved from their Elephant Pass military camp towards Jaffna. At the Puthukkaddu junction, the Indian forces jumped off their vehicles and started shooting at the people at the junction. Eight civilians were killed in this shooting and four more were injured.

On 12 October 1987, Indian forces in the Palaly military camp moved in heavy military vehicles along the Railway Station Road. It rounded up the Pirambadi Road and started shooting at the people inside their homes. Forty civilians, including babies, women and elderly were killed in this massacre.

In both incidents, civilians were shot and crushed under armoured vehicles.

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