Troops strike gold again

Another large stock of jewellery pawned by civilians at the LTTE’s “Eelam Bank” was recovered by troops on Thursday in Puthukkudiruppu, the military said.

It said troops of Task Force--8 during clearing and mopping up operations recovered 8,709 packets that contained a wide assortment of gold jewellery, including necklaces, bangles, ear rings, chains and many more similar items.

“All those items appeared to have been pawned at the LTTE Eelam Bank,” the army said adding that each packet contained a duplicate receipt with names and other details of those pawning the jewellery while the original receipt might have been issued to the owners at that time the items were pawned.

The army had already sent detailed reports to Wanni military authorities, to help them trace the whereabouts of the owners for the possible return of their valuables

The jewellery consisted of 852 bangles, 188 small bangles, 20 damaged bangles, 26 bangle parts and one bracelet. Most of the bangles, made into bundles of five to seven pieces appeared to be carefully hidden.

Earlier, similar stocks were uncovered from Vellamullivaikkal and taken for safe-keeping to be gradually returned to their owners later.