By Chitra Weerarathne
Mrs. S. Sivamani, a 24-year-old mother of three from Kilinochchi has complained to the Supreme Court that naval and police officers of the Special Investigation Unit in Mannar, tortured, raped and subjected the petitioner to an illegal arrest and an illegal detention, on March 19, this year.

The petitioner had come to Vavuniya in search of her husband who was employed as a barber. on in the night of March 19, the Special Investigation Unit officers had come to the apartment where the petitioner was lodging on a search mission. She was arrested without giving reasons and taken to the Special Investigation Unit office, tortured and raped by personnel of the SIU. The petitioner was forced to state that she was a supporter of the LTTE.

The petitioner was produced before the Magistrate only on March 27.

The petition had requested the Supreme Court to declare that the petitioner had been tortured and subjected to an illegal arrest and illegal detention by S. P. N. Kumara, N. P. N. Suraweera, Madasamy and Wimalaratne, all of the Special Investigation Unit, Mannar.

The petitioner has claimed damages in Rs. 1,000,000, for the violation of fundamental rights.