The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, mourning the death of its political head S P Thamilselvan in a Sri Lankan air raid, on Thursday stayed away from Diwali celebrations.
"Our leader (V Prabhakharan) and our people are mourning the death of our political head Thamilselvan and this is the most subdued Diwali in my life with people staying away from celebrations," LTTE spokesman Rasiah Illanthirayan told PTI.
Diwali is being celebrated by Tamilians on Thursday while it will be observed in north India on Friday.
Thamilselvan, LTTE's public face, and five other leaders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam were killed in a raid by Sri Lankan air force in the rebel-dominated northern Kilinochchi on November 2.
Illanthirayan said the LTTE elusive supremo, who otherwise confines his Diwali celebrations to giving money to young children, maintained a very low key.
"There are no cracker sounds, no sweets and we are all mourning the death of Thamilselvan," Illanthirayan said.
Meanwhile, greeting the people on the occasion of Diwali, Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse on Thursday hoped that the evil of terror will be wiped out from his country.
"I am pleased to send greetings to all Sri lankan Hindus on the occasion of Deepavali," Rajapakse said in his message on the occasion.
"May the light of goodwill and peace dispel the darkness of terror and illuminate our land. I wish a happy Deepavali to all Hindu Devotees," the President said.