Three killed in army fire

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 September 1998, 23:12 GMT]
Mannar magistrate, Mr. M. Ilancheliyan, ordered yesterday the cremation of the bodies of three people who were shot dead by the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) at the 10th mile post in Uylankulam on September 19.

The magistrate ordered the cremation at the expenses of the state as they have not been identified. The bodies were kept at the mortuary in the Mannar hospital.

Two Army personnel who were summoned to witnesses at the inquiry said that they were shot dead while they tried enter the Army's forward defence line (FDL).

They said the SLA soldiers were fired at around 12.30 a.m. on September 19 and in the following fire-fight two members of the Liberation Tigers were killed.

Meanwhile sources close to the International Secretariat of the Liberation Tigers in London said that three businessmen from the Vanni region who had gone Mannar to purchase goods were shot dead by the Sri Lankan Army at Uylankulam.

Another person, identified as V. Pushparajah, 28, from Tharmapuram, was wounded in the incident. He has been admitted to the Mallavi Hospital where he is receiving treatment for gun shot injuries, they added.

Local people and businessmen in Vanni travel regularly to Mannar through the jungles to buy goods. Last month five civilians who were on their way to Mannar to buy goods were shot dead by the SLA, they said further.