2ND LEAD

SLA soldiers open fire at civilian bus, 1 dead, 4 missing

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 April 2006, 15:27 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers opened fire on a mini bus killing it's civilian driver at Kanakampuliyady junction Monday around 7:15 p.m. The fate of at least four passengers is not known. Residents, who heard gunfire and screaming from the vehicle, expressed fear that all inside the bus were killed and the traces removed from the attack site. SLA sources on Monday claimed that four persons had run away from the bus.

The dead body recovered from the site was identified as Manickam Rajeevan, 30, the driver, from Achchuveli.

The attack on the civilian bus took place 2 km from a Claymore explosion site at Sarasalai-Meesalai border where an SLA soldier was killed Monday evening. Soldiers were heavily deployed at Kanakampuliyady junction following the Claymore attack and the traffic had ceased.

SLA sources, Monday night, claimed their troopers shot at the bus after gunshots were fired at them from the bus.

However, on Tuesday, SLA officials said the mini bus was fired upon as it did not stop at a road block set up by the soldiers.

Four persons inside the bus have run away, according to the Sri Lanka Army officials.

Further details are yet to emerge.