Muttur violence death toll increases to five

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 December 2005, 08:44 GMT]
The death toll in clashes that took place in Muttur division since Saturday afternoon has increased to five with the recovery of three more bodies of Muslim persons Sunday early morning from an abandoned well in Muttur town area. One Muslim person was admitted with cut injuries in Muttur government hospital, Muttur Police said.

Meanwhile unidentified men had allegedly abducted two Tamil civilians Saturday night. They are still reported missing, Tamil sources said.

The violence erupted Saturday afternoon with the shooting of a Muslim person Haja Mohideen in Thoppur. Thereafter a group of persons had set fire to a three-wheeler and attacked three Tamil civilian passengers with knives and poles at a village Thoppur. Two of them died on the spot and the third person sustained serious injuries, police said.

The injured Haja Mohideen and Ramalingam were transferred to Trincomalee general hospital. On Sunday morning Ramalingam was transferred to Kandy general hospital as his condition was reported critical, hospital sources said.

In the meantime, more soldiers and police personnel have been sent to several Muslim and Tamil villages in Muttur division to prevent further violence between communities, police said.

Several Muslim and Tamil families residing in the border areas of villages affected by the violence have sought refuge in safer areas in the division, police said.

Normal life in the Muttur division has been disrupted. Monitors of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Sunday morning rushed to Muttur to take steps to diffuse the tense situation, sources said.