Killings shock Kaithadi, 8 civilians slain in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 August 2007, 10:08 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army operated gunmen in Thenmaraadchi, Jaffna, have shot and killed seven civilians since Sunday noon. Four civilians, including a Village Officer (GS) were slain on Monday in Kaithadi where two civilians were shot dead last wednesday and a gurellia ambush killed four Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers on Sunday when a youth was also killed in SLA gunfire. Two civilians were killed in Meesaalai and one in Vara'ni in Thenmaraadchi on Monday. Meanwhile, a Jaffna Municipal Council employee, shot in Jaffna city has succumbed to his injuries. Tension prevails in Kaithadi where armed men also burnt down a house, according to the residents in the area.

Retired Grama Sevaka officer, K Chelliah, 65, was gun down at this house in Kaithadi at 11:00 a.m. Monday by unknown gunmen. His body has been transferred to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, according to hospital sources.

In the third incident in Kaithadi East, Jeyathaas Ruban, a father of two, was shot dead Monday morning by four Sri Lanka Army (SLA) intelligence operatives in civil clothes riding in motorcycles, according to sources in Jaffna.

In Vara'ni in Thenmaraadchi another civilian was shot dead Monday morning. Details of this killing is not available.

On Sunday, armed men who arrived at the house of Thambyaiyah Chandramohan, 30, in Kaithadi south, gunned him down Sunday around 6:30 p.m. Chaavakachcheari police has recovered Chandramohan's body and handed it over to Jaffna Teaching hospital mortuary

Two civilians were killed last Wednesday in Kaithadi. 3 days later, on Sunday, four Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and 12 troopers wounded in a Claymore ambush in Thenmaraadchi in the southwestern Forward Defence area adjoining Kaithadi.

Meanwhile, in Jaffna, gunmen shot and seriously injured an employee of Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC), K. Thevarasa, 28, in front of Jaffna St. Patric's College Monday morning around 6:00 a.m. Two armed men on motor cycle who waylaid Thevarasa, shot and seriously injured him while he was cycling to his work. The victim, a resident of Rajasingham Veethi, Thirunakar, succumbed to his injuries at Jaffna Teaching hospital.

Thevaras's body is also being kept at Jaffna hospital mortuary.

Another civilian was seriously injured Monday in a separate shooting incident around 12:15 p.m. on Kankeasanthu'rai (KKS) Road. The victim was identified as Sinnaraasa Vijayasingham, 30. Sinnarasa is from Vela'nai 6 Division.

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