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Two youths shot dead in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 December 2003, 14:03 GMT]
Justin Fernando, 24, and Theivendran Thushyanthan, 18, of Nellukulam in Vavuniya were shot dead and their partially burnt bodies recovered from Pampaimadu area 31 December Wednesday morning, security sources in Vavuniya said. The youths have been missing from Monday after they went to Pampaimadu to collect sand in their two-wheeler, sources said.



Police rushed to the scene when residents of the area who went to collect fire-wood noted the presence of the bodies and informed the Police.

Police officials said that they found the tractor loaded with sand at about 1 km along the Pampaimadu-Kidachuri road, and the bodies of the youths were located inside the jungles a short distance from the tractor.



Vavuniya Acting District Court Judge M.Sittampalam visted the scene of the incident and directed the Police to transport the bodies to Vavuniya Teaching Hospital for postmortem examinations.

Inspector of Police, Wijenayake, with the assistance of the Head of Crime Division M.Wijeratne, are conducting investigations.

Security sources said that both youths have been engaged in sand collection business for a long period. Initial investigations revealed that one of the youths was a former member of Peoples Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE).



Mr.M.Sittrampalam the acting magistrate of Vavuniya district is making notes at the scene