பிரபாகரனின் மாளிகை கைப்பற்றப்பட்டுள்ளது (படங்கள்)

The two storied underground built residential complex was located in a two acre coconut cultivated land which was well fortified, provided with all-round protection from adjacent gun positions and bunker locations.

The underground bunker runs 50ft deep, protected with a 3ft thick layer of concrete. The air force had bombed this location previously, which is in the center of cadjan houses 500m west of the Paranthan - Mullaititvu main road in general area Piramanthalkulama. The underground bunker was fully air conditioned which consisted of four furnished compartments and tiled floors, the sources said adding that surveillance cameras were also fitted at the entrance of the bunker complex.

Troops have also found an oxygen plant inside a luxury compartment believed to be Prabakanran's room along with a M-16(new version) machine gun and an insulin container. Three sound proof power generators were used to supply electricity to the residential site and the adjacent bunkers, the sources further said.



Prabhakaran's mansion captured

Sri Lankan troops operating in Mullaitivu district have captured a palatial mansion believed to have been used by the Tamil Tiger chief Velupillai Prabhakaran, the army said in Colombo on Monday.

"A two-acre plot of land that houses a luxurious two-storeyed residential quarter, believed to have been used by none other than Prabhakaran himself was completely brought under the control of 58 Division troops as of late Sunday evening," Sri Lankan Army said.

It said that the two-storeyed fully furnished residential mansion with four separately air conditioned spacious rooms "had a firing range outside the building, which the troops believe would have been used for training by Prabhakaran himself or his top-rung leaders whenever he visited here."

It said that the house was provided electricity with three super sound generators and the entire house floor has been tiled with ceramics. All roads leading to the housing site were macadam and well prepared with nice landscaping, it said.

"The suspicion of Prabhakaran frequenting the place was further strengthened by the fact that the troops came across an expensive 'Marks & Spencer' shirt of 42-1/2 cm size, which is also said to be the shirt size of the terrorist leader," the army said, adding that several oxygen tanks were also recovered from there.

Prabhakaran, who founded the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 1976, is known to have deep and seemingly secure underground caves and bunkers in the dense forests of Mullaitivu, from where he oversaw the war against Indian troops in Sri Lanka's northeast in 1987-90.

However, the present whereabouts of the elusive rebel chief are not known.