Trader shot dead in Thenmaraadchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 September 2008, 17:16 GMT]
Unidentified armed men on motor cycle shot and killed a trader Tuesday around 2:10 p.m close to A9 road in Kaithadi in Thenmaraadchi, within the top security area of Sri Lanka Army (SLA), sources in Kaithadi said.

The trader killed was identified as Ponnaiah Kunasekaram, 43, the father of four children and a resident of Selvanakar in Kaithadi.

The killers had chased Kunasekaram who was riding home on his motorcycle after purchasing goods for his shop at Kaithadi Junction on A9 road.

He was shot and killed around 300 m from his house and around 400 m from the A9 road.

Chaavakachcheari magistrate Mr. Annalingam Premchandar conducted the inquest into the death at the place where Kunasekaram was shot and killed.

Chaavakachcheari police, directed by the magistrate, recovered the body and handed it over to Jaffna Teaching Hospital mortuary Tuesday night for post mortem examination to be held.

Kunasekaram being shot and killed in an area very close to SLA top security area has raised suspicion, Kaithadi residents said.

Many similar killings had taken place in the recent past in Kaithadi and Naavatku'li areas in Thenmaraadchi.