2ND LEAD (UPDATE)

Attacks on Police, STF escalate in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 April 2006, 10:27 GMT]
Unidentified attackers lobbed a grenade into the police checkpost located in front of the Batticaloa Police Headquarters wounding a Sub Inspector, a sergeant and a Police Constable around 11:50 a.m., Police said. Another police sergeant was wounded in a grenade attack Saturday night at Navalkuda police sentry in Kalmunai in Batticaloa district.

The attackers, who were hiding behind the wall of the Veerakathi Pillayar temple, lobbed a grenade into the checkpost wounding Sub Inspector Mr. M. Moorthy, 55, Police Sergeant M. J. Jemeel, 38, and Police Constable S. Puvichandran, 35.

The wounded policemen were rushed to Batticaloa Hospital.

Batticaloa Police HQ is located near Trinco Junction in Batticaloa.

A grenade attack at 9:30 a.m. targeted a patrol of 16 Special Task Force (STF) personnel near Mandoor junction. Noone was wounded in the grenade attack.

Police Sergeant W.B. Sugathasa, 35, was wounded Saturday at 8:30 p.m. when unidentified attackers lobbed a grenade into the Navatkuda police sentrypost.

Gunfire was heard for 15 minutes following the grenade attack at Navatkuda, civilian sources said.