Youth shot dead in Vadamaradchy

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 December 2006, 12:25 GMT]
Two unidentified men riding a motorbike shot dead a youth near the 4th Cross street in Thumpalai Road, Point Pedro at 12:00 noon Thursday, sources in Vadamaradchy said. Meanwhile, the officials of the Human Rights Council (HRC) in Jaffna said that they have received several complaints of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) confiscating National ID cards of young men and women during cordon and search operations, and refusing to return them.

Tharmathas Mohanathas, 21, a fisherman living on Light House Lane, Sea Street was walking to Point Pedro Town along Thumpalai road when he was shot. Mohanathas died on the spot.

His body has been taken to the Manthikai Hospital, hospital sources said.

The killing took place in the same area where two youths on their way to the Hospital disappeared one month earlier. Police have not been able to trace the abductors or the victims, sources in Point Pedro said.

Meanwhile, officials of the HRC said, SLA soldiers routinely confiscate National ID cards from youths during search operations and request them to come to the SLA camps to get the cards back. However, youths have to make several visits before the SLA returns the cards.

Several complaints made by the victims relate incidents of harassment and disruption to their normal life without the ID cards. Students have complained of having to miss school fearing being caught by the SLA soldiers without the IDs.

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