A suspect wanted in the murder of Poopalapillai Alagathurai, Vice President of the Porativu Pradeshya Sabha, was arrested on Wednesday by the Wellawali Police after a period of seven years. The arrest was made at Kaluwanchikudi in Kalmunai.

The deceased, a staunch EPRLF supporter, mysteriously went missing on February 16, 2002 while in the company of the suspect and another person. Later his body was recovered by Police from a stream in Mandur where he lived. Subsequent investigations confirmed that he was murdered.

In a statement to the Police deceased’s wife had said that her husband was in the company of the suspect and both had left the home of the deceased together. Extensive search operations were launched by the Police to nab the suspect and on information received on Wednesday a team of policemen from Wellawali raided his hideout and arrested him.

Police suspect the suspect to be an ex-LTTE cadre.

He was due to be produced before the Batticaloa Magistrate yesterday.