3 Tamil youths shot dead in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 June 2006, 09:28 GMT]
Unknown gunmen who arrived in motorbikes, shot and killed 3 youths, using military-type 9mm pistols, on their way home in Mylambaveli, 7 km, north of Batticaloa town, Tuesday at 8:30 p.m., said Eravur police. The killings took place 250 meters from the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp at Mylambaveli on the Batticaloa-Trincomalee road.

The gunmen after killing the youths poured gasoline and set the bodies alight, local residents said.

The victims - Sinnaiyah Mahesh Vasanthakumar, 26, from Puvaththegawittiya, Kegalle, Navaratnam Arunasiri, 22, from Vipulananthapuram, Mylambaveli, and Muththukaruparan Krishnakumar, 21, also from Vipulananthapuram were temporarily residing in the house and were masons by profession.

Several Tamil refugees from Pullumalai recently settled down in Mylambaveli fearing army harassment.