SLA intensifies security in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 February 2008, 16:32 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA), following the bomb blast Thursday in Thirunelveali, Jaffna, has intensified security measures, suspending traffic for hours Friday when SLA convoys used the main roads in Jaffna peninsula, sources in Jaffna said. The death toll in the bomb blast has risen to five from four when a man injured died in Jaffna Teaching hospital Thursday night. Meanwhile, the youth and young woman shot and killed in Thenmaraadchi Friday morning have been identified.

All traffic on the main roads from Jaffna to Palaali, Point Pedro and Kaangkeasanththu’rai were suspended many times while all vehicles and persons entering Jaffna town were subjected to strict security checking.

Normal procedure of allowing people to cross the roads when the SLA convoys passed was done away with Friday causing people to wait on the sides of the roads for many hours.

SLA troops ordered all passengers out of the vehicles in the pouring rain and checked all of them meticulously.

The bomb blast victim was identified as Christopher Collin Thavarasa, 54, a resident of I’nuvil.

The young woman killed Friday morning in Kodikaamam was identified as Sivarasa Vijitha alias Suki, 26 and the youth as Shanmuganathan Uthayakanthan alias Uthayan, 22.

Chaavakachcheari Acting Magistrate S. Kanapathipillai conducted inquiries at the site of the killings and directed to police to hand over the bodies to Jaffna Teaching hospital mortuary.

The two bodies were brought to Jaffna Teaching hospital Friday evening.