Ariyanayagam Chandra Nehru

Career Chandranehru joined the public service, working at the fisheries department in Kalpitiya. He failed to get re-elected at the 2004 parliamentary election after coming second amongst the TNA candidates. Chandranehru and others founded NESOHR (North East Secretariat on Human Rights) on 9 July 2004.

Assassination On the night of 7 February 2005 Chandranehru, along with several members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), were travelling from Polonnaruwa to Thirukkovil along the Polonnaruwa-Batticaloa highway in a blue Toyota Dolphin van. At around 7.45 pm, at Pillaiyaarady near Namalgama, 40 km north-west of Batticaloa and inside government controlled territory, their vehicle was overtaken by a white van, which had been following them, which then blocked the road. Men dressed in military uniforms got out of the white van and ordered the occupants of Chandranehru's Dolphin van to get out. Chandranehru was seriously injured in the attack and was taken to hospital in Colombo National Hospital but the following day (8) he died of his injuries. The attack took place close to several Sri Lanka Army camps including Namalgama, Ruwanpitiya, Welikanda, Punanai and Kadwathmadu. The assassination was blamed on the government backed Karuna paramilitary group and the Sri Lankan military. The Tamil National Force, a TMVP (Karuna Group)/ENDLF front, claimed responsibility for the attack.

On 12 February 2005 the LTTE conferred the title Maamanithar (great human being) on Chandranehru.

Electoral history + Electoral history of A. ChandranehruElectionConstituencyPartyVotesResult 2001 parliamentary Ampara District TNA Elected 2004 parliamentary Ampara District TNA Not elected