Murungan Police Station Overrun

[TamilNet, Sunday, 12 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Thamil Eelam overran the Murungan Police station in the early hours of morning today while they continue to battle the isolated troops of the 53rd Division at Karuppatta Murippu.

Eight Policemen and four Sri Lankan soldiers who were part of the military unit attached to the Police station were killed. The Liberation Tigers claimed in the Vanni this morning thatthey have recovered a quantity of weapons from the destroyed station.

Sources in Vavuniya said that the Liberation Tigers lost twelve of their ownin the attack. The Murunkan Police station was set up in the heart of a high security zone established by the Sri Lankan army round the town after it secured the Mannar Vavuniya road in March this year.

Meanwhile troops of the Sri Lankan army's Div 53 are still battling the LTTE in the dense jungles northeast of Puliyankulam to break through and save a large column of their colleagues who have been completely cut off and surrounded by the Tigers at Karuppatta Murippu near the Mankulam- Ottisuddan road.

Sources in Vavuniya said that the Tigers are raining mortar and artillery fire on the Sri Lankan troops that have been cut off at Karuppatta Murippu.