Three detained in Vaakarai

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 January 2000, 11:12 GMT]
Three youths were arrested by the Sri Lanka Army during a search operation at Kandhalady, about 5 km. from Vaakarai this morning. Vaakarai is 64 km. north of Batticaloa.

SLA sources said the operation was conducted on a tip off, and that troops recovered a land mine.

Kandhalady is not under the control of the Sri Lanka Army.

Elsewhere in the eastern district, Special Task Force (STF) commandos, stationed at Annamalai, fired last night at fishing boats in the Batticaloa Lagoon. No one was injured. Some fishing boats were damaged, sources said.

The matter has been brought to the notice of Batticaloa MP, Mr. Joseph Pararajasingham.

Meanwhile heavy rains are reported in the south-eastern Ampara district. Lower land areas of Akkaraippattu and Ninthavur have been flooded, and fishing is affected by the heavy rains.