3RD LEAD

Three SLA soldiers shot dead in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 June 2005, 06:05 GMT]
Three soldiers belonging to Sri Lankan Army (SLA) Intelligence were shot and killed in Urani, a suburb of Batticaloa, at 10.30 AM Thursday, Batticaloa Police said. The soldiers, attached to the Intelligence Unit at the Head Quarters of the 223 Brigade of the SLA, were killed by unidentified gunmen between a SLA mini-camp at Palameenmedu and a Police post at Periyaurani, while they were returing from Palameenmedu fish market in a three-wheeler, sources said.

Lance Corporal Saran Kularatne, Saman Kumara and Saminda Kumara, the driver of the three-wheeler were the soldiers killed by the gunmen.

A T-56 assault-rifle was recovered from the scene, Police said.

The incident took place at New Boundary Road, near the water tank in Urani.

Further details are not available.

Urani is located in SLA held territory, around 4 km north of Batticaloa.