Firing at random injures civilians

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 February 2000, 09:18 GMT]
Three civilians were injured when the police fired at random at Saagamam road, Akkaraipattu in the Ampara District, around 7 p.m. last evening. The policemen were retaliating to a grenade attack on them by unidentified youth said sources.

The injured civilians, Seevaratnam Annalauxmy, 37, Kanakaratnam Kanthavanam, 45, and A. Seevaratnam, 70, were admitted to Ampara Hospital.

A Sub-Police Inspector, Arunanaka, 25, was injured in the grenade attack.

Meanwhile Special Task Force (STF) soldiers and the police searched Tamil areas of Akkaraipattu this morning.

The STF personnel accused the villagers of helping the Liberation Tigers and providing them with shelter. Some villagers were assaulted, sources said.