Proteters torched a bus in Batticaloa

The protest on Wednesday closed schools and offices and hit transport in the town of Kalkudha. In Batticaloa, protesters set fire to a bus, injuring the driver.

The government has blamed the abductions earlier this week on Tamil Tiger rebels, whom it accuses of continuing to recruit child soldiers.

“Three school children, all 14, have been abducted in Valaichchenai and Batticaloa when they were coming home after tuition classes,” military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe told BBC Sandeshaya.

Three school children, all 14, have been abducted in Valaichchenai and Batticaloa when they were coming home after tuition classes Sri Lanka military

According to the police, the spokesman said, 25 year old youth has been abducted while he was at home in Batticaloa.

The rebels have denied any involvement in the kidnappings.

They say they were carried out by a rival group.

LTTE political wing leader in Batticaloa, Daya Mohan, has told media that seven youths were abducted in the district by a group in military fatigue .

Brigadier Samarasinghe said it is too early to conclude whether the abductions were linked to earlier incidents where three child soldiers escaped from the LTTE.

Three child soldiers have surrendered to police in Batticaloa and Sri Lanka Navy in Muttur, last week.

The LTTE pledged to stop child recruitment after the two-day talks with the Sri Lanka government in Geneva.

“The GOSL and the LTTE discussed all issues concerning the welfare of children in the North East, including the recruitment of children,” Geneva statement said.

International truce monitors, Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), is to rule whether the rebels have violated the agreement after fresh allegations.