By Shamindra Ferdinando

The LTTE has taken control of a 475- acre government estate in the Tirukkovil police area, police said on Wednesday. They have also replaced its manager identified as Ponnambalam Thurairaja, the sources said, adding that a former employee of the estate identified as Krishnapillai has been appointed as the manager.

Krishnapillai was identified as an uncle of an LTTEer identified as Sothi.

"Krishnapillai was a tractor driver," the sources said, adding that Thurairaja had been abducted by the LTTE. He had been taken to an LTTE base in the jungles, the sources said.

Later an LTTE cadre identified as Nishanthan had threatened the wife and the children of Thurairaja with death if they informed the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) of the incident, the sources said. "They have not complained yet," the sources said, expressing the belief that the LTTE would try to seize more state property unless authorities act swiftly to regain the estate.