Tellipalai village is in the Jaffna district and Tellipalai boasts of an ancient Thurkai-Amman temple. The Sri Lankan military shelled and bombed areas surrounding the Palaly military camp in order to displace the people and expand the military camp. Displaced people from several villages adjacent o the Palaly military camp such as, Kurumpasiddy, Vasavilan, Taiyiddy, and Mayiliddy, had taken refuge in the Thurkai-Amman temple.
On 30.05.1992, two Sri Lankan Air Force bombers dropped five bombs on the temple crowded with refugees. Five people, including two from the same family, were killed in this bombing. Most of the temple was damaged.
This same temple was bombed again in 1993 during festival time when it was crowded with devotees. Five civilians died in this second attack a year later. More than 5 people were injured. The temple was destroyed a second time in a year.
Available names of victims (name, occupation, age)
1. Kandiah Ilayathamby, Pensaniar, 65
2. Sinnakuddy Kasipillai, Farmer, 71
3. Vaithilingham Vaseegara, Painter, 23
4. Selladurai Selvakantharasa, -, 32
5. Vellautham Nanthakumar, Student, 11
6. Pathmanathan Mayooran, Student, 22
7. Iyampillai Mahenthiran, Labour, 31
8. Subramaniam Kanagarani, Saleswoman, 38
9. Vellautham Vinothakumar, Infant, 01
10. Rasathurai Manogaran, Cigar Industry, 28