3RD LEAD

Two policemen shot in Kalmunai, one succumbs to injuries

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 July 2005, 07:32 GMT]
Two policemen from the Counter-Subversive Unit (CSU) were shot and seriously wounded when they were riding in a motorbike from Kalmunai Police station to Amparai. Both the policemen were initially rushed to Kalmunai Ashraff memorial hospital in critical condition. One of the policemen, A Kapila (25) from Badulla, succumbed to injuries while being transported to Colombo Hospital by helicopter, sources said. The shooting incident took place in front of a National Savings Bank branch in Kalmunai, 400 meters from the Kalmunai Police station, at 11.25 AM on Wednesday.

Mr. Mohamed Rafideen, 35, from Irakkamam in Ampara, is in critical condition.

Two unidentified gunmen waiting in a motorbike shot the policemen with 9mm handgun, sources said.

Officer In-Charge (OIC), I P Jameel, attached to the Crime Branch of Kalmunai Police is conducting investigations into the incident.

Tension prevailed in Kalmunai town as police and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers started a search operation following the incident.