Could LTTE chief Prabhakaran have escaped?

Even as Sri Lanka has ended heavy firing in the war zone, LTTE chief Prabhakaran continues to elude the Sri Lankan army.

Sources say that India understands that once caught Prabhakaran will have to face Sri Lankan law first. But India will continues to make formal request for his extradition.

They add that India is not sure where Prabhakaran is. And that he might not be in the 6 square kms that the LTTE has now been pushed to.

India welcomes end of combat operations, but its only a first step. Relief, rehabilitation, and political solution are the remaining steps

Meanwhile, Colonel Karunah, Prabhakaran's former second in command and now minister in the Lankan government has told  NDTV that the LTTE chief will commit suicide or be killed.

"He will never surrender...He will swallow cyanide or Sri Lankan army will kill him," he says, adding, "Prabhakaran's first mistake was to kill Rajiv Gandhi. After that India banned LTTE and 26 other countries followed. But Prabhakaran did not change."

Colonel Karuna was the military commander who planned and carried out the LTTE's biggest battles for 22 years. He started out as Prabhakaran's bodyguard.

He broke away from Prabhakaran in 2003 after the LTTE chief refused to accept the Norway-brokered peace deal. 6,000 of LTTE's best fighters broke away with him.

The eastern province of Sri Lanka, which was Karuna's stronghold came under the Sri Lankan army's control soon after in 2006. 

Karuna is now minister for national integration and reconciliation in the Rajapakse government.