Hundreds of people gathered in Nallur, Jaffna, on Saturday to mark the 39th anniversary of the death of Rasaiah Parthipan, widely known as Thileepan, a former political wing leader of the LTTE.
The gathering marked the conclusion of a series of commemorative events held in Jaffna since September 15, the anniversary of the start of his hunger strike in 1987. Participants paid floral tributes at the memorial in Nallur, where a bronze statue of Thileepan was installed earlier this month.
Thileepan began a hunger strike in Nallur in September 1987, presenting a series of demands to the Indian government following the Indo-Lanka Accord. He died on September 26, 1987, after refusing food and water.
Commemorative activities were also held in several other areas of the Northern and Eastern provinces during the anniversary period.
