Sri Lanka`s social services and social welfare minister and leader of EPDP Douglas Devananda was involved in a shooting incident in Chennai in 1986 which claimed a person`s life. At the time Devananda was heading the People`s Liberation Army (PLA), the EPRLF military wing. Operating from Jaffna, he arrived in Chennai in early 1986 to sort out organisational issues with colleagues then based in Tamil Nadu.

He was staying in a house in Choolaimedu locality with some associates, and on November 1, 1986, they picked up a quarrel with locals, who ganged up and surrounded the house. The case against Douglas is that he went inside the house, brought out an automatic gun and shot at the crowd. One Thirunavukarasu was killed and four others were injured. Walter Dawaram, deputy commissioner of police at the time, arrested Douglas and nine others. A case, still pending, was registered against them. They were released on bail in January 1987. In November 1988, a complaint was lodged against Devananda at the Kilpauk police station, accusing him of kidnapping a ten-year-old boy and demanding a ransom of Rs 7 lakh to set him free. According to sources, the police arrested him in connection with the case later. Devananda was detained under the National Security Act in January 1989. He was released a year later. Sources say that it was raw which transported him to Jaffna on an Indian Army helicopter, to pit him against the ltte. Back in Sri Lanka, Devananda gave up armed struggle and entered the political mainstream through his party EPDP, which follows a pro-Sri Lanka government, anti-ltte line.

He has visited Tamil Nadu several times, though criminal cases are pending against him here. When contacted, police sources indicated that Devananda might be arrested if he visited the state in future.