UNF candidate shot dead in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 March 2004, 08:44 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen shot dead a United National Front (UNF) candidate Monday morning in Batticaloa town. The candidate, Mr. Sinnathamby Sundarampillai, 63, was slightly wounded when unidentified assailants shot at him on Saturday night. Two men visited the candidate who was receiving treatment at the Batticaloa Hospital and shot him at point blank range. Both got away, Police said. Another UNF candidate, Mr. Thambirajah Jeyakumar, was shot dead during the campaign for the general elections in December 2001.

Police investigators said they suspected that the gunmen who killed Mr. Jeyakumar, a leading UNP politicians in the eastern district, were from a Tamil paramilitary group and were allegedly hired by his political opponents.

Mr. Sundarampillai contested as a candidate of the New Left Front in the December 2001 elections to Sri Lanka’s Parliament and got 31 personal preference votes.

No one has been arrested in connection with his murder.