Youth injured in landmine blast in Pazhai

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 October 2010, 15:27 GMT]
A landmine in an area declared demined and allowed for resettlement by Sri Lanka government in Iyakkachchi in Pazhai in Jaffna district exploded Wednesday morning seriously injuring a youth when he tried to set fire to the rubbish heap in his compound, sources in Jaffna said. The youth was first rushed to Pazhai government hospital and later transferred to Jaffna Teaching Hospital for further treatment. The demining is done by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) units in the above area.

The injured youth is Umamaheswaran Thulasitharan, 17, a resident of Iyakkachchi.

Thulasitharan had swept the compound and set fire to the rubbish heap triggering the explosion.

Landmines and other such devices exploding in areas in Jaffna district claimed to have been cleared of landmines and allowed for resettlement by Sri Lanka government have killed and maimed many in the recent past.