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Every year on May 18, Tamil communities in Sri Lanka’s North and East observe Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day, a day of remembrance for Tamil civilians who died in the final stages of the 2009 war in Mullaitivu. This year, a photograph circulated widely on social media appearing to show a person holding a small child dressed in an LTTE uniform, with the caption “The revival of Thabuttegama Kaithang in 1½ years.” The posts implied that under the current government, such scenes of openly displaying the uniform of Sri Lanka’s banned terrorist organization, were taking place. However, our investigation found the image to be from India.
Social Media Posts
The following posts went viral alongside the May 18 Mullivaikkal commemorations, framing the photograph as evidence of LTTE symbols being openly displayed at Sri Lanka’s northern commemorations.
The responses to these posts indicate that many have assumed that this photo shows a celebration that took place in Sri Lanka.
Fact-Check:
Memorials are held among the Tamil community in Sri Lanka every year on May 18th to remember all the Tamil people who died in the final battle of the war in 2009, in Mullaitivu, Mullevaikkal.
No Such Imagery Was Seen at Sri Lanka’s May 18 Mullivaikkal Commemorations
Since the LTTE is a banned organization in this country, we investigated veracity of the image of a small child wearing the LTTE’s uniform, and its attribution.
We reviewed recent videos of the Mullivaikkal commemorations held in Sri Lanka on May 18. People were seen lighting lamps to remember those who died in the war.
More videos of the Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day are available here and here. The photos are available here and a commemoration held at the beach in Wellawatte can be seen here. However, No photographs, clothing, or symbols representing the LTTE were visible in the footage. Sri Lankan security forces were also present at the occasion.
For this reason, we conducted a Reverse Image search on the above viral photo of a person holding a small child and found a post that this photo was posted on an account called Senthan guru.
A member of the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) party, pictured with a small child during a May 18 celebration in Tamil Nadu.
We first saw the above photo posted on social media by an Indian Tamil national named Senthan Guru under caption (translated as) “The little tiger member who caught everyone’s attention at the May 18 meeting in Maraimalai Nagar.”
Senthan Guru is the State Deputy Secretary of the IT wing of the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) party, which support the creation of a separate Tamil Eelam state for the Tamil people of Sri Lanka.
Likewise, when examining the photos and videos posted on his social media accounts, it is clearly seen that the meeting held in Maraimalai Nagar on May 18 this year (2026) was an event held in in Maraimalai, Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu, India, graced by the NTK party leader Seeman, to commemorate the Remembrance day of Tamil people.
Senthan Guru, who had posted the above photo, had re-shared NTK leader Seeman’s message on his account in this way.
Senthan Guru was also seen at other such commemorations wearing the same black attire Which are available here, here, and here as well.
It is therefore clear that this photograph was not taken in Sri Lanka and does not show northern Sri Lankan Tamil people commemorating the war dead.
Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK)
Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) is a Tamil nationalist political party active in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, led by former actor and film director Seeman (Senthamizhan Seeman). The party, which directly and indirectly promotes the LTTE, was formed in 2010, after the death of the LTTE leader in 2009.
The party’s name, “Naam Tamilar”, literally means “We are Tamils”. The party emphasizes that it represents all Tamils, regardless of caste or religion, and one of its main agendas is to support the creation of a separate Tamil Eelam state for the Tamil people of Sri Lanka.
The LTTE is a banned organization in Sri Lanka!
The LTTE was designated as a banned organization by the Special Gazette No. 1721/2 issued on 29 August 2011.
This completely prohibits all activities of the LTTE organization, including membership, leadership, use or display of uniforms, emblems or flags, holding meetings and providing funds, both within and outside Sri Lanka.
Section 4 of the Act states that anyone found guilty of violating the orders of the Act by the High Court shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 20 years. It further states that anyone who helps or supports the charge of such an offence shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years.
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Conclusion:
Our investigation confirms that the photograph of a child wearing an LTTE uniform was not taken in Sri Lanka and does not depict a May 18 commemoration by Tamil people in the North.
The photograph was taken in Maraimalai Nagar, Tamil Nadu, India, and shows a Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) party activist posing with a small child at a Mullivaikkal memorial organized by the party on May 18.
Title: Viral Photo of Child in LTTE Uniform Is Not from Sri Lanka’s May 18 Commemorations!
Fact Check By: Pavithra Sandamali
Result: False
