COLOMBO, Feb. 28, Indian troops on Sunday sealed off a temple in eastern Sri. Lanka where two women have vowed to starve themselves to death to bring an end to fighting between Indian peace-keeing forces and Tamil rebels, witnesses said. A resident, who declined to be named, said by telephone that troops had ringed the Manmagam temple in the town of Batticaloa and a curfew had been imposed.
He said the moves were presumably to stop people flocking to support Davi Annama, 58, and Vadivel Nesamma, 50, who are in the ninth day of their fast.
Doctors who examined the women said they were very weak, unable to speak and could lapse into a coma in three or four days, resident’s sadi.
State radio said an indefinite curfew was clamped in Batticaloa on Sunday but gave no details.
The government is battling Tamil guerrillas fighting for a separate state in the north and east and against the JVP in the South.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 4, 1988
