Delft is a small
island, near the Jaffna peninsula. It is about 20
kms from Punkudutivu. It was an important transit
point for Tamil militants between the south Indian
coast and Jaffna peninsula. It was also used as
for rest and training by the militants, as it was
safe and away from the location of the IPKF. Only
boats or helicopters could approach the island. If
helicopters were used the militants were warned
early enough for them to take their motorized
boats or disappear amongst the civilians.
Boat operations were
a problem because of the sea state. The small
boats of the IPKF could not withstand these
conditions. Requisitioning private boats would
immediately be conveyed to the Tamil militants.
Also the jetty was always watched by the LTTE.
With several operations thwarted the IPKF decided
to innovate. On 14 Jan 89 Major TS Gill of D
Company 5 Para got a tip off from Capricorn
sources (anti-LTTE militants) that a group of LTTE
personnel led by area commander Ravi were in
Delft. It was decided to plan an operation to
capture them.
The Plan
With earlier
attempts failing Major TS Gill decided to take a
risky approach. His group would move out at
midnight on fishing boats. These low-powered boats
would be used to land on a remote beach. It
involved launching the operation from Punkudutivu,
an area of shallow water fishing. The fishermen
whose boats were to be requisitioned were
identified and were to be picked up as the mission
began. This way there was no time for them to send
any message.
The Raid
During the daytime on 16th Jan troops were
inducted into Punkudutivu as if to conduct an
operation there. As night approached the
pre-identified fisherman were awoken and their
boats requisitioned. Four fibreglass boats and 8
OBMs were used. To keep surprise only 1 platoon
and 8 Capricorns were assigned to the raid.
Another platoon was kept on standby to reinforce
at first light after continuing to pretend to
conduct operations during the night. As the
flotilla set out the men were quietly confident.
But soon the rough seas started to create second
thoughts, as any capsizing would have detracted
from the rescue operation. In addition a Sri
Lankan patrol boat spotted them midway to the
destination. Normally the IPKF sea ops were passed
onto to the Sri Lankan base at Karainagar but this
time something had gone amiss. As the boat trained
its search light on the bobbing and heaving boats
the machine guns were trained on the hapless paras
and Capricorns.
For the Sri Lankans
there was no way of knowing that this was the IPKF
as the presence of Capricorns as well as the fact
that the LTTE would dress up as IPKF at times. It
was at this critical moment that Major Gill took a
chance. He stood on his feet and waved to the Sri
Lankan commander. Incredibly the Sri Lankan
commander happened to know Major Gill and
recognized him from all the liaison meetings. The
party was waved on. The troops landed on the
eastern shore of Delft just after mid night. Many
were sea sick from the journey. The fishing boats
were immediately sent back to avoid compromising
their mission. The troops first roused
Sangripillai the local schoolteacher and a
hard-core LTTE sympathizer. He tried to talk his
way out of it but was persuaded to lead the way.
Still Sangripillai intentionally led the troops to
the wrong locations hoping to put off the IPKF.
But the troops persisted and eventually
Sangripillai lead them to the correct houses.
Still not trusting
Sangripillai, Major Gill split his party into
three groups along with the Capricorns and decided
to simultaneously raid the houses. The stealth and
speed took the LTTE by surprise. Ravi fired on the
paras but was wounded in the gun battle. He
quickly took cyanide and died. His second in
command Arimalai tried to do the same but a
para quickly knocked him down and captured him. He
would subsequently lead the troops to other
hideouts. By morning 7 militants were
killed/captured. The operations went for another
24 hrs before the troops were satisfied that there
were no other militants on the island.
(Adapted from 'Raid
on Delft Island' by Brig NS Gill, Combat Journal,
April 1991)