By Franklin R. Satyapalan
The situation was somewhat tense in Batticaloa after the LTTE had abducted eight Muslim labourers in the Valachchenai police area on Sunday night, police sources said on Monday.

The eight Muslims between the ages of 20 and 45 had come to Miravoddai lagoon in Ottamavadi after breaking their Ramadan fast on Sunday around 8 p.m. and were enjoying the breeze when suddenly three canoes carrying armed LTTE cadres had abducted the Muslims. They had been taken to a secret location in an uncleared area in Eastern Province, police sources said.

Following the abduction the situation was tense and certain Tamils volunteered to try and free the abducted Muslims.

Residents of Ottamavadi said that the LTTE was in the habit of abducting Muslim villagers who were mostly farmers and fishermen demanding a ransom for their release.Batticaloa District UNP MP Ali Zahir Mowlana had made contact with ICRC officials in Batticaloa to try and obtain the release of these persons.

Meanwhile one of the abducted youths families had made a complaint to Valachchenai police yesterday morning in this connection and OIC Valachchenai CI H. M. Piyasena was conducting further investigations into the abductions.