Prabha’s photographer's funeral held in Wanni without Prabha

Image: LTTE Intelligence head Pottu Amman at Funeral of Thava.

(February 19, Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka Guardian) Senior member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and official photographer of Prabahkaran a leader of the LTTE , Lieutenant Colonel Thava killed at the battlefront on Sunday afternoon, while training battlefront camera crews.

Lieutenant Colonel Thava, originally from Trincomalee, joined the LTTE in the early 1980s.

For more than two decades he has been an instrumental member of the Nitharsanam Studious, the visual media division of the LTTE.

Lieutenant Colonel Thava, also assisted the Pulikalin Kural radio service during the early 90s, when Pulikalin Kural and Nitharsanam were operating together.

At the time of his death he was serving as Vice President of the commercial film division of Nitharsanam studios.

Lt. Col. Thava’s funeral was held in Wanni on last evening without Prabhakara’s attending. However Pottu Amman and P. Nadesan have been attained to the funeral as seniors leaders of the LTTE.

Meanwhile, since the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) used two of their light aircraft to bomb the country's main air base, top brass of the SLAF have been busy devising countermeasures. Although ground based anti aircraft defenses and surveillance equipment were quickly purchased, acquiring a dedicated interceptor was continuously delayed (Initially there were plans to buy MiG29 fighters from Russia. These plans however had to be scrapped off due to budget constraints). Due to this reason, LTTE aircraft managed to safely return to base after several mildly successful bombing runs over Colombo, according to Defencenet, well known defence analysis web site based in Colombo.

“By now, things have changed. SLAF recently took delivery of six F-7G aircraft which will primarily be used for interceptor role. Unlike the older F-7BS and FT-7 aircraft which the SLAF has been operating for over a decade, these modernized versions feature advanced avionics, upgraded engine, improved radar (KLJ-6E), surveillance capabilities and the ability to fire a range of air to air missiles,” it added.