SLA soldier absconds after killing colleague

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 March 2004, 02:08 GMT]
A.K.G.P.Vijitha Bandara (24), an Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier attached to the Jaffna based 512nd Brigade was shot to death by another soldier, Sumantha Kumara from the same camp during an altercation Saturday midnight, Jaffna daily Uthayan reported. Soldier Sumantha Kumara absconded after the incident and Jaffna police assisted by the SLA are searching surrounding areas to apprehend him, according to reports.

Reports said that Lt. V.M.Vithanage Samindasagara and soldier Vijitha Bandara were on road patrol Friday midnight and went towards the sentry point located at the Temple Road - Hospital Road junction near Jaffna town. Finding Sumantha Kumara, soldier manning the sentry point, fast asleep the brigade commander poured cold water on the soldiers head.

When soldier Bandara tried to prevent an angry Samantha Kumara from shooting at the Brigade commander, Samantha Kumara allegedly fired several shots at soldier Bandara who was killed instantly.

Police and SLA soldiers are combing Nallur, Jaffna Secretariat area, Old Garden and Temple Road area to apprehend the suspect, reports said.

Jaffna Assistant Judge M.Thirunavukkarasu visited the scene Sunday morning and conducted investigations. The judge ordered the body to be handed over to soldier Bandara's relatives after postmortem examinations. Court hearing on the death is scheduled for today.