ALLEGED LETTER ISSUED BY THE TAMIL TIGERS THREATEN TO KILL FORMER CHIEF MINISTER JEYALALITHA JEYARAM

By Walter Jayawardhana

The Tamil Nadu police has stepped up the security of former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and General Secretary of the All India Anna Dravda Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) General Secretary Jayalalitha Jeyaram after a death threat has been issued against her allegedly by the Sri Lankan terrorist group ,Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)

LTTE military spokesman Rasiah Ilantheriyan has denied that their group has issued the threat against the former Chief Minister who is virulently opposed to them.

Among the two major parties in the Tamil Nadu Jayalalitha’s opponent’s the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is more sympathetic to the Sri Lankan terrorist group.

The Tamil Nadu police said it increased the security at Jayalitha’s Poes Garden residence in Chennai after a letter allegedly sent by the LTTE threatened to kill her by a bomb.

The police sources said The letter was received at the Jaya TV channel's office, situated next to her house, Sunday night. The channel registered a complaint with the Chennai police Commissioner immediately after the receipt. The police also said the alleged letter from the LTTE also told the TV channel , called Jaya TV which is doing propaganda for the AIADMK leader to stop all the criticism of Muthuvel Karunanidhi, the Chief Minister and the leader of the DMK party.

Tamil Tigers have been intricately connected with Tamil Nadu politics. Immediately after the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi , by a LTTE suicide bomber serious allegations have been raised against Karunanidhi that he supported the LTTE members who killed Gandhi.

The Karunanidhi administration was dissolved by the Central government in New Delhi and he was defeated in the elections.

Jayalaitha has accused the Karunanidhi administration for the break down of law and order situation in Tamil Nadu due to the smuggling of explosives and weapons from the South Indian state to Sri Lanka.

'Police are taking all steps to avoid any untoward incident,' Police Commissioner Letika Saran told the media.

'Bomb disposal squads are in place at the Jaya TV office. Patrolling and other security measures on the street before the residence of Jayalalitha have been intensified,' the police commissioner pointed out.

Jayalalitha was away campaigning for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav's Samajwadi Party at the time Jeya TV channel received the death threat. For a long time Jayalalitha was suspected to be on the top of the terrorist group’s hit list.