3 youths suffer electric shock injuries

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 August 2008, 17:23 GMT]
Three youths were seriously injured after coming into contact with live electric wires while forced to build a rampart around a live high voltage electricity transformer by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers Friday in Chiruppiddi in Valikaamam East, sources in Jaffna said. One of the injured was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Jaffna Teaching Hospital Friday, the other two were treated for burn injuries. Sri Lanka Electricity Board officials in Jaffna declined to comment on the incident.

The youth identified as S. Suresh, 17, was admitted to the ICU, and the other injured were identified as S. Yasinthan, 24, and S. Sasitharan, 24, from Chiruppiddi East.

More than nine youths with minor injuries were treated in private hospitals.

SLA, in a haste to build ramparts around the electricity transformers in Jaffna peninsula, is forcing youths and civilians of the area and pedestrians passing by to pile Coconut and Palmyra logs and sand bags around live electricity transformers, residents of the area said.

SLA in Jaffna introduced new security arrangements from Monday in Vadamaraadchi and Thenmaraadchi areas, where SLA troops are posted near transformers. SLA is also using labor from local residents to pile sand bags around the area.