Three die in grenade attack on Batticaloa funeral house

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 January 2005, 08:56 GMT]
Three persons were killed and thirty eight persons were injured in a grenade attack on a tsunami funeral house in Vahaneri. The incident took place Saturday night around 9 PM when several people were gathered to attend a funeral of tsunami victims. An eight year old boy was among the three people who were killed, sources said.

The three persons who were killed were: Mr. P. Nahenthiran (38), Mr. T. Tirusan (8), and Mr. N. Ananthan (24).

Thirty five persons with injuries were admitted to Valaichenai Hospital and 3 persons with injuries were admitted to Batticaloa Hospital, Police sources said.

The attackers came in a 3-wheeler and threw two handgrenades at the funeral house and the reason for the attack is not known, Police sources said.

Vahaneri village lies 38km northwest of Batticaloa town and is 3km from Vahaneri junction on the main Batticaloa-Colombo road.