Cheddikulam is a border village in the Vavuniya district and is located 20 Kms from the Vavuniya town along the Vavuniya-Mannar Road. Farmers, business people, labourers and government employees live in this area.
On 02.12.1984, the Sri Lankan military imposed curfew throughout Cheddikulam. The military began cordoning off the Cheddikulam area at 5.30am in the morning. Most of the people in the village were still asleep. The military that came into the village took the males for inquiries. 52 men were taken in the military vehicles to the adjacent town of Mathawachchi. There has been no information about these 52 men since. The people of the Cheddikulam village are saying that the 52 men were taken to a Sinhala village in Mathawachchi, and there they were chopped up with sharp knives and heavy vehicles were run over them. As a result, the Cheddikulam villagers say all 52 men died.
T Yesuthasan, teacher at Cheddikulam Mahavidhyalayam says,
“Following the incident people displaced to Vanni, Madhu and India. Among the 52 people killed were my younger brother, my brother-in-law and two more people living with us.”
Mayilvahanam of Cheddikulam says,
“On that day many of us ran into the forest and hid. My home was completely destroyed by the Sri Lankan army”