CHENNAI (May 21): Contradictions in the Sri Lankan army’s versions of LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran’s death have given credence to the claim of his supporters in Tamil Nadu that the body shown on television was not his. Some in the state believe that the Tiger chief is still alive.

General Secretary of Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam, ‘Viduthalai’ Rajendran, who had met Prabhakaran in 2005, said that he was sure that the body shown on television looked like that of a young Prabhakaran.

He had stopped sporting a moustache, put on weight and even developed a paunch, Rajendran said.

Father Jagat Gaspar Raj of the Tamil Maiyam, who had interviewed Prabhakaran in 2002, too echoed the same view and added that it was hard to believe that in a battlefield one could take time off to dye the moustache. And he had definite information that Prabhakaran was not in the area from where his body was reportedly found.

But then why does the common man not believe the pictures of a dead Prabhakaran shown on TV?

Noted social scientist M S S Pandian explained: "In the past six months, most of the English media had been taking the Sri Lankan army briefing as the gospel truth, while the Tamil media went the extra mile by reporting the other side’s version too."