Thambiah
killing: Fear psychosis grips the region
By our Batticaloa Correspondent
The killing of a well-respected academic from the Eastern University
has heightened tension in the region which has been gripped by a
new wave of fear-psychosis unleashed by the LTTE split.
Kumaravel
Thambiah, Head of the Economics Department of the Eastern University
in Vantharamullai, was the thirtieth victim of a wave of extra-judicial
killings allegedly carried out by both sides of the LTTE since the
split. Of the 30 victims, 22 were directly or indirectly connected
to the LTTE, five were civilians and two were from the armed forces.
Mr.
Thambiah was killed on Monday around 4. 30 p.m. -- about 15 minutes
after he returned home from the university, which he joined in 1991.
The two killers came on a motorbike. One waited on\ the main road
at Gnanasuriam Square while the other walked up to the Thambiah
residence and called, "Thambiah Sir".
When
Mr. Thambiah came up to the door, the assassin pulled out a pistol
from his waist, and fired at him. Sensing danger, Mr. Thambiah turned
back to run inside. Two of the bullets hit him on the back and the
shoulder while the third smashed the window of a neighbouring house.
The
killer ran away leaving his slippers and fled on the motorbike towards
the Kalliankadu cemetery and escaped. Mr. Thambiah was rushed to
hospital but died on admission.
His
body was kept at his residence 'Gnanasuriam' and later at the university
for the public to pay their respects. On the next day his body was
taken to Asikulam in Vavuniya for burial.
Mr.
Thambiah had been away in Vavuniya and Colombo since April 12, just
before Karuna fled his eastern stronghold. The SLMM and the police
are carrying out separate investigations but the public say they
have little faith in these investigations.
The
people are also raising questions as to the stoic silence maintained
by the university authorities.
PLOTE
member shot dead
A supporter of the PLOTE was shot dead in Vavuniya town last morning,
police said. They said the member identified as Arulanantham Arul
Barath, 32, from Trincomalee was shot by a youth on a motorcycle
along with an accomplice.
The
victim was the brother of a former PLOTE member, Guru. The incident
came in the wake of a poster campaign by the LTTE's Sangilian group,
warning people to refrain from getting involved in criminal activities. |