2ND LEAD

SLA shoots dead 2 youths in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 February 2009, 11:14 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers engaged in road patrol opened fire on two youths as they were cycling along Aadiyapaatham Road near Thirunelveali junction in Jaffna, killing them on the spot, Thursday around 11:30 a.m, sources in Jaffna said. One of the youths killed is from Nainaatheevu who had come to see his bride-to-be in Thirunelveali but SLA claimed that they gunned down the two youths because they opened fire on the soldiers, seriously injuring one of them.

The youth from Nainaatheevu was identified as Mahenthiran Navaneethan, 26, who had come to his friend living near the Milk Farm in Thirunelveali. Mahenthiran and his friend were cycling along Aadiyapaatham road when the SLA soldiers opened fire on them, the sources said.

Jaffna magistrate R. Vasanthasenan conducted the inquest into the deaths at the site of the killings and directed Jaffna police to hand over the bodies to Jaffna Teaching Hospital mortuary to be identified.

The bodies of the youths are riddled with bullets, the police said.

Both bodies were identified by relatives Thursday night and are expected to be given to them Friday.

The injured soldier was rushed to Palaali Military hospital soon after the incident.