Prabhakaran was the founder of the rebel group and led it for 25 years before its eventual defeat by the army. He was killed in May 2009 as the army captured the last area of rebel-held territory in northern Sri Lanka.     

According to the BBC, after the separatist war ended in 2009, Prabhakaran's house and its deep bunker had become a tourist attraction for Sri Lankan visitors.     

On Thursday evening, the army asked the people living near the bunker to evacuate their homes, as the officials prepared to blow up Prabhakaran's house.