Trader knifed to death in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 January 2007, 21:23 GMT]
Batticaloa Police recovered the mutilated body of a petty trader with several stab wounds, and tied with a big stone, in the Batticaloa lagoon in Seththukkudah area within the municipal limits, around 10:30 a.m Monday, sources in Batticaloa said.

The victim was identified as Sivalingam Rajendran, 28, of Mandapaththady, Kannankudah in the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam controlled Batticaloa district.

Rajendran went on missing from last Saturday.

Rajendran regularly visited Batticaloa town to conduct business through Seththukkudah area that lies between the town and Vavunathivu, one of the gateways to the LTTE controlled area.

The motive behind the murder is not known.

Batticaloa Police handed over the body to the Batticaloa Teaching hospital for autopsy and are conducting further investigations.

Seththukkudah is a garrison village, 1 km west of Batticaloa town and is located near the only airport in the district where many of the families of the paramilitaries live. The area is heavily guarded by Sri Lankan Armed Forces and members of paramilitaries.