2ND LEAD:

Rice mill worker shot in Vantharumoolai, seriously wounded

[TamilNet, Monday, 20 February 2006, 08:34 GMT]
A Tamil youth, Kailasapillai Raveendran, 21, was shot and seriously wounded by unidentified gunmen Monday around 6:30 a.m. at Vantharomoolai, 18 km north of Batticaloa town, Police said. Raveendran who is a rice mill worker, was rushed to Batticaloa hospital and later transferred to Colombo hospital, medical sources said. Meanwhile, colleagues of Raveendran alleged that the gunmen were associates of paramilitary operative Pillayan who operates a hunt-and-kill squad for the Sri Lankan Military intelligence from Batticaloa town. However, the reason behind the incident is yet to be established, the Police said.

The gunmen shot Raveendran with 9 mm handgun, Police said.

The incident took place on Bake House Road in Vantharumoolai.