2nd lead (Adds details)

Three Tamil youths killed in Trinco

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 April 2006, 05:38 GMT]
A Tamil youth was shot dead at Kappalthurai, a Tamil village in the Chinabay police division, Sunday morning. Meanwhile, bodies of two Tamil youths were found with gunshot injuries at Poddankadu in Kantalai, Sunday. According to villagers, the victims were among the the five Tamil youths who had come to Kantalai from Muttur, Saturday, to meet representatives of Insurance Company and were detained by Sri Lankan Government armed forces.

The bodies of the two youths were found along rail track near Erulankuda in Poddankadu, a suburb in Kantalai town, around 6 a.m., Sunday. Gunshots and explosion were heard in Poddankadu Saturday night, the villagers said.

Kantalai is about 39 km southwest of Trincomalee.

Kantalai was a traditional Tamil village till the government dominated by Sinhala political parties in Colombo systematically carried out State aided colonization scheme making the village Sinhala dominated and reduced strength of Tamils since the country gained political independence from Britishers.

Kappalthurai is about 8 km off Trincomalee town along Trincomalee-Colombo road.

About 400 families from the village fled from their houses and sought refuge in Kappalthurai government school, following violence that erupted following blast in Trincomalee marcket on 12 April. They returned recently to their houses.

With the killing of a Tamil youth Sunday morning, these resettled families have again started fleeing from the village seeking refuge in other areas for safety, sources in Trincomalee said.

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