Businessman shot near Punanai

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 October 2004, 08:12 GMT]
A businessman was shot Friday around 5.30 p.m. by unidentified gunmen near Punanai, 45 kilometres northwest of Batticaloa. The businessman, Mr. Poopalapillai Sivapragasam, 47, was returning from Welikanda on his motorbike on the Valaichenai-Polannaruwa Road when four gunmen who had trailed him on their motobikes shot and wounded him, Police said.

Mr. Poopalapillai runs his business in the Valaichenai bazaar.

"He faces rivalry from some Muslim groups in the area", relatives said.

A Sri Lanka army convoy rescued him when he lay wounded on the roadside, they said.