Mannar town paralyzed

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 June 2004, 04:54 GMT]
Normal life of Mannar town was completely paralyzed Tuesday when civil groups launched one day general shut down (hartal) protesting against the assault on civilians by soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Monday evening.

A trader, Mr. Thavarajah Navaneethan (26), who sustained serious injuries in the assault was immediately admitted to the Mannar base hospital Monday evening.

The assault took place when enraged civilians held a picketing campaign along main road of the town soon after SLA soldiers subjected two female political activists of the LTTE to severe interrogation Tuesday afternoon humiliating them, sources in Mannar said.

Civil groups Tuesday launched one day general shut down (hartal) demanding that army should not leave their posts to take civil security measures in the town and it should be left to the Police, civil sources said.

All business establishments, schools and government departments were closed down.

Transport services to and from Mannar were completely paralyzed and the roads were seen deserted.