News

News

Soldier killed in Vavuniya blast; policeman detained by LTTE
A soldier from the Seventh Battalion of the Sri Lanka Light Infantry and an EPDP cadre were killed in a claymore mine blast while six others were injured outside the EPDP office in Vavuniya last morning. In another incident, a police constable attached to the Muttur station was detained by the LTTE yesterday.

The soldier, who was involved in intelligence work, was identified as Rukman Edward, 31, and the EPDP cadre as Ganakumar Kannan, 28. Police said they believed that the claymore mine had been set on Friday night and was exploded by a remote control device. The blast went off at 11.20 a.m. Among the injured was another soldier Ajith de Silva. Others injured were all EPDP cadres. District Judge M. Ilancheliyan conducted a on-the-spot inquiry while Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) officials visited the scene.

In another incident, a Tamil youth was shot dead in Aralaganvila, while his two associates were reported missing. One of the missing persons is identified as an LTTE member.

Meanwhile, a Mutur police constable who was travelling after duty in civvies had been stopped by the LTTE when the ferry in which he was travelling was forced to pass an LTTE - controlled area due to the heavy winds. LTTE cadres on shore had carried out a check on the passengers on the ferry and found that his uniform and cap were in a bag.

They had detained him and told the man operating the ferry to return to take the constable. The ferry operator had lodged a complaint to the police and returned to take the constable, but was told that they could not release him and would do so only after orders were received from their leaders. Police has lodged a complaint to the Scandinavian monitors in the area.

Top

Back to News