3RD LEAD (PHOTOS UPDATED)

4 civilians killed, SLAF bombs petrol station, bus depot in Mullaiththeevu

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 January 2009, 14:53 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers attacked a petrol station and a bus depot killing four civilians and causing injuries to 8 close to Mullaiththevu hospital, 1 km away from the town. 8 buses were destroyed, the depot building damaged and the petrol station completely destroyed, initial reports from Mullaiththeevu said. The indiscriminate bombardment by the SLAF has taken place at 5:00 a.m. Friday.

Rantheepan, Nisantharoopan (Mu'l'liyava'lai, Ka'nukkea'ni), Gajan (Visuvamadu) and Thaya from 3rd division in Mu'l'liyava'lai were the civilians who were killed in the bombardment which has taken place 250 meters from the hospital.

The wounded civilians were identified as Sivalingam Mahesavaran, 35, father of three, Uthayakumar, 26, in critical state with injuries to his stomach, Thanes Kathiraimalainathan, 32, from Kalla'ru, Visuvamadu, Murukan Rasenthiram, 28, father of one from Koampaavil Puthukkudiyiruppu, I. Ranganathan, 40, from 7th division, Antony Kamalathas from 10th division in Puthukkudiyiruppu, M. Karunanidhi, 40, from Puthukkudiyiruppu and Jeevendran from Muththaiyankaddu.

The wounded were admitted at Puthukkudiyiruppu hospital.