May 20: The military have recovered more than 400 bodies of LTTE cadres, including several female fighters, from the marshy Vellamullivaikkal area which saw the final stages of the fierce battle over the weekend, officials said here.
The bodies of a woman Mathvathani Erambu, identified as Prabhakaran’s wife and a girl Duvaraka, identified as Prabhakaran’s daughter, and a young boy Balachandran identified as Prabhakaran’s younger son were found in the vicinity of the body of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran according to Army officials.
The bodies of Prabhakaran’s family were found in the Nandi Kadal lagoon area barely 600 metres from where the LTTE supremo’s body was recovered by the army. Prabhakaran’s wife and daughter were not in Europe as believed but right there with the Tamil Tiger chief.
These bodies which have now been sent for autopsy today (May 20), were found from among those retrieved from the Nandikadal lagoon yesterday (May 19), said military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara.
The bodies of Charles Anthony, Pabhakaran’s eldest son and that of Prabhakaran were also recovered yesterday(19) by the Army whilst combing the Nandikadal lagoon.