2ND LEAD (Correction)

Two policemen shot, Jaffna tense

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 August 2005, 08:01 GMT]
Two Sri Lankan policemen were shot and injured at Kaladdy in Kokkuvil, a suburb of Jaffna, Wednesday around 11:30 a.m, Police said. One of the two wounded policemen, in critical condition, was airlifted to Colombo Hospital. The Sri Lanka army in Jaffna deployed additional troops in Jaffna town, the areas surrounding the University of Jaffna and Jaffna Teaching Hospital following the incident, sources said.

The other policeman is admitted to Palaly Military Hospital, Police said.

An official attached to the Financial Division of the LTTE, Mr. Kaidramalai Gopi, was arrested at his house in Kallady while he was visiting his parents.

Mr. Kadiramalai, father of Mr. Gopi, told TamilNet that the shots were fired by Sri Lankan Army soldiers who were outside the house while policemen were taking his son away through the front door.

According to the Police, the police constables, N. M. Hemage, and L. Jeyalath were shot when they attempted to enter the house with the Sri Lanka Army soldiers in a cordon and search operation Wednesday morning.

The house is located close to Jaffna Technical College.