3RD LEAD

Reckless driving kills 3, injures 3, Amparai boils

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 December 2006, 11:14 GMT]
A lorry speeding through Kalmunai hit two Muslim civilians Tuesday around 8:00 p.m at Mavadipalli, Sammanthurai in Amparai district, killing both on the spot. The allegedly drunk Sinhala driver sped without stopping, hitting two more Muslim civilians in Sammanthurai town killing one and seriously injuring the other, and continued along on recklessly hitting two more Muslim civilians injuring both before stopping, Sammanthurai police said. Enraged Muslims in Sammanthurai town, set fire to the lorry throwing the driver's assistant (cleaner) into the fire, killing him.

The crowd stoned the police force and another high officer who tried to control the crowd. The Special Task Force (STF) troopers, called in for assistance, opened fire on the crowd injuring three, the police added.

The three victims were identified as M. Nawfath, 25, M. Larief, 32, a father of one child and Mohideen, 53, a father of five children.

The three injured civilians injured in the STF shooting are Munas, 26, Riyas, 32 and Mubeen, 23.

The owner, driver and the assistant of the lorry are Sinhalese, the police said.