Hand-grenade explosion injures STF soldier in Batticaloa camp

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 May 2004, 10:22 GMT]
Explosion of a hand grenade Friday evening inside a Special Task Force (STF) camp near the main bus stand in Batticaloa town injured soldier Champika Kumara, security sources said. The injured soldier has been admitted to the Batticaloa Teaching Hospital and receiving treatment for his injuries, according to hospital sources.

Residents of the area said that they heard several gun shots following the grenade explosion.

Govindan Road, Buntings Lane and Lagoon Road near the STF camp have been closed with barbed wire fences erected across the road, sources said. Passengers travelling to the Batticaloa Hospital and Paduvankarai area are undergoing severe hardship due to the road closures, Batticaloa sources said.

Additional Police and STF soldiers have been deployed in the area. Tension still prevails in the area surrounding Batticaloa town, sources said.