Several shops in Jaffna town remained open today despite a hartal underway in the Northern and Eastern provinces to protest the controversial death of a youth in Mullaitivu.
Shops in many areas across the two provinces, however, were closed in line with the hartal organized by the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK). ITAK claimed the hartal was a success, while the government insisted it had failed.
The protest comes after the death of 32-year-old Edirmanasingam Kabilraj, who reportedly entered an Army camp in Oddusuddan and was later found dead in the Muttaiyankattu Tank. Three Army personnel have been arrested and produced in court, though the Sri Lanka Army has denied involvement.
The hartal, which began this morning, has been backed by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA), and Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC). These parties have raised concerns over what they described as the oppressive conduct and excessive presence of the military in the North and East. (Newswire)
Hartal in North & East ended at 12 pm. ITAK calls it a success, Govt says it failed pic.twitter.com/VkWJF2Iy7o
— NewsWire 🇱🇰 (@NewsWireLK) August 18, 2025
