Building contractor shot dead in Vaazhaichcheanai

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 May 2007, 11:06 GMT]
Unidentified armed men shot dead a building contractor at his house Thursday around 9:00 p.m at Puthukkudiyruppu in Vaazhaichcheanai police division in Batticaloa district, sources in Vaazhaichcheanai said.

The victim was identified as Illayathamby Thayan, 37, a father of two children from Puthukkudiyruppu. He worked as a building contractor for more than ten years and his wife is a Samudri Officer at Maangkea'ni village.

Thayan's body has been transferred to Vaazhaichcheanai hospital for postmortem examinations.

Meanwhile, Eelam Peoples' Democratic Party (EPDP) paramilitary group led by Siva, operating from the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp located at Vaazhaichcheanai fishing harbour area, is demanding building contractors in Vaazhaichcheanai area to provide bricks, sand and cement to build SLA sentry posts, the contractors said.

Some of the contractors have been called to the EPDP office and demanded money, besides being threatened at their homes during nights for not complying, they said.

Two contractors have left Vaazhaichcheanai to live in Batticaloa town area, fearing for their lives.

Vaazhaichcheanai is located 30 km north from Batticaloa.