SLA shoots dead 2 youths in Vadamaraadchi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 December 2008, 14:06 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers shot and killed two youths Wednesday in a sudden cordon and search launched around 5:00 a.m on a house in Koayitkadavai, Thunnaalai in Vadamaraadchi, sources in Vadmaraadchi said. The two youths, one of them the owner of the house, attacked SLA soldiers with hand grenades and gunfire in the clash that lasted till 7:00 a.m, the sources added. One of the victims was identified while the other is yet to be identified.

The owner of the house killed was identified as Sinathurai Suthakaran, 28, a trader.

Suthakaran, displaced from Thenmaraadchi in 2000, was living in Koayitkadavai, Thunnaalai.

The other youth killed was not identified and is estimated to be between 25 to 30 years of age, Nelliyadi police said.

The police handed over the two bodies to Manthikai government hospital mortuary Wednesday around 3:30 p.m.

Hospital administration has requested help from the public to have the body identified.

SLA launched an extensive cordon and search around Koayitkadavai including Kalikai, Koavitchanthai and Arasadi deploying large number of troops.

None was allowed to enter of leave Koayitkadavai until Wednesday evening.

All traffic was blocked in the areas searched while the troops combed the Saiva crematorium, paddy fields, waste lands and houses in the area.

Anyone being arrested in the search is not known.

Normalcy returned to these areas around 8:00 a.m but the residents of Koayitkadavai where the clash took place had not been permitted either to leave or enter until evening.