Youth shot, killed in Maanipaay, seven seek Humanitarian protection

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 December 2007, 16:48 GMT]
Two unidentified gunmen on motorcycle shot dead Wednesday around 10:45 a.m, a youth at Changkuveali in Maanippaay who was returning home from the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) civil administration office in Maanippaay where he had gone to obtain the ‘Clearance Pass’ to travel abroad, sources in Jaffna said.

The victim was identified as Velautham Kiritharan, 27, a resident of Changkaanai Town Council Road.

Maanipaay police recovered Kiritharan’s body and handed it over to Jaffna Teaching hospital mortuary Wednesday evening.

Persons wishing to leave Jaffna peninsula and go abroad have to get a ‘Clearance Pass’ from the SLA operated "civil" centres in their respective areas of residence.

Meanwhile, seven persons who have sought humanitarian protection with the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission were produced at Jaffna Courts.

Jaffna magistrate R. T. Vicknarajah directed the police to place the family in the protective custody of Jaffna prison.

A seamstress from Eazhaalai north in Valikaamam was among those who had sought protection with HRC Jaffna due to continuous death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops and SLA-backed paramilitary men.

The seamstress who sought protection with the HRC is also the owner of a shop and a resident of Eazhaalai in Valikaamam.

A 22-year-old labourer from Koayil Veethi in Changkaanai had also sought protection with Jaffna HRC Wednesday due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops and SLA-backed paramilitary men.