7 Sri Lankan students reportedly hurt in clashes over commemoration of defeated rebels

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — A lawmaker and a journalist say at least seven Sri Lankan students have been injured in clashes with security forces over a commemoration of ethnic Tamil rebels who were defeated in the country’s civil war.

A Tamil lawmaker, E. Saravanapavan, says army troops and police clashed Wednesday with students who were protesting a search of their university a day earlier by authorities in the northern district of Jaffna, a former war zone which is the cultural heartland of minority Tamils. Police denied any injuries.

A local journalist said troops and police searched the university for pro-rebel propaganda on Tuesday after students reportedly tried to honour rebels who died in the war.

The rebels, who were defeated in 2009, commemorated fallen comrades on Nov. 27, the birthday of their leader.

11:54ET 28-11-12