Kali-Vairavar Temple

                                                                                                            Thunaivi

                                                                                                            6 August 2017

OIC Vaddukoddai Police

Vaddukoddai Junction

Dear Officer,

Break and Enter / Trespass and Apprehended Violence Complaint

I am Mrs Gajalakshmi Paramasivam and when I come to Thunaivi, Vaddukoddai, I live at our cottage in our private temple grounds. Some youth have been giving us problems by coming into the temple to use their phones, chat and shout and show rowdy behaviour. Due to some damage when I came in May this year, I instructed that the gates be kept locked except for when someone wanted to pray. Part of the damage was to the fence constructed at a cost of around Rs.200,000 and the loss of solar light worth Rs.40,000

 Yesterday, around 5.45 a.m. – Mr. Rathinam who is in charge of locking the gates and turns on and off, the lights at our temple in Thunaivi drew my attention to the damage to our wire fence. While I was inspecting, Mr. Rathinam’s grand daughter Mrs. Atchutha Senthil who lives next door to me – also came out and she pointed to the fence further away from us and said that she saw a ‘gap’ there also. I looked but could not see the gap. When Mr. Rathinam and I went close to that part of the fence, we noticed the damage there also. Then I came back close to where Mrs. Atchutha Sentil was on the other side of our fence and asked her whether she was able to see that far.  Mrs. Atchutha Senthil  then said that she could.

A little later, Mr. Jegan, our Electrician cum plumber came and I was talking to him about more lighting for the area. The Mr. Vasee Vadivel came from the direction of Mr. Senthil’s home and he was carrying an electric drill in his hand. He has been warned many times even before we locked the gates – for him not to come to the temple except for praying and/or meditating. After the gates were locked they did not use the temple grounds as walkway. But yesterday, when I asked Mr. Vasee what he was doing inside my compound, he said that he was using the Common Pathway. He entered through one gap on the side of Mr. Senthil’s home and walked towards the other gap close to his (Mr. Vasee’s Home). I reminded him that it was private property and that he was acting unlawfully even after I had specifically asked them not to use our property. Then Mr. Vasee turned around and went back towards the gap in the fence through which he had entered.

I then said that his entry would have been recorded in the camera and that that also would be submitted to the Police along with my complaint and that might lead to thoughts of whether he had played a role in damaging our fence. Then Mr. Vasee shouted at me and asked ‘Are you saying that I cut the fence?’  I said I was saying that there was evidence that he had entered our premises unlawfully. Then Mr. Vasee said in a loud voice ‘I will smash your face flat’. I turned around and continued with my conversation with the Electrician – Mr. Jegan. I heard Mr. Vasee talk in a loud voice to the people who quickly gathered outside fence.

I have now taken footage of the above incident from our Security Camera. The night ones when the fence was damaged do not have enough lighting. Both are available and could be submitted to the Police if needed.

I am very concerned for my safety and if something happens to me I want the Police to take the above into consideration. We donated land to the People for post-war rehabilitation and this is what we get in return. I have complained previously also to the Police but they seem to not be concerned about it.  I have not been able to sleep and I keep a knife and a hammer to attack any intruder. The Government has failed to value my services here and since I don’t seem to be able to make a difference to the lives of these folks, I am seriously considering to reduce my service here to a minimum.  I seek to publish this – so that others will be warned of the risks here. As I have said many times last week to these folks – one day they are likely to have a case similar to the rape and murder of Miss Vithya Sivaloganathan.

The Women’s Association which was given the keys to the Development Secretariat – do not seem to do anything about these threats in the area. All they seem to do is to look for how to get funds and loans. That was not the purpose for which we donated part of the temple land. The conduct especially of youth in this high risk area – needs to confirm that the funds donated have been used on needs basis -   the fundamental need being to prevent future militancy.

The other complaint I have is the menace of pigeons that are groomed by Mr Senthil and Mrs. Atchutha Senthil along our boundary wall. The pigeons come and dirty our front veranda and I am tired of cleaning the place again and again. As you are aware – prevention of Dengue is Government’s priority in Health Service – and this pigeon problem enhances the risk of all types of health problems. I believe that one person’s pet should not be another’s nuisance.

Yours sincerely,

Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

CC: GA – Jaffna

        The Hon C.V.Wigneswaran,

         Chief Minister, Northern Province

         The Hon Ananthi Sasitharan

                   Minister of Women Affairs, Rehabilitation, Social Service

          Northern Province