Islamic militants stone pilgrims from Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 August 2004, 17:42 GMT]
Four pilgrims returning from Kataragama, a shrine venerated by Tamils and Singhalese, were injured when persons suspected to be Islamic militant youth stoned the buses in which they were traveling to Jaffna at Kalmunai, 40 kilometres south of Batticaloa, Tuesday. A general shut down was observed in the Muslim towns of Batticaloa and Amparai districts Tuesday to mark the killing of Muslims in Kattankudy 14 years ago.

The pilgrims said they tried to go on Tuesday as they could not travel on Monday due to a general shut down in the Muslim towns of the Amparai district that day against graduate employment.

The pilgrims were traveling from Kathirgamam to Jaffna in three mini buses when the vehicles were stoned.