Sri Lanka army fires into crowd in Vavuniya, six injured

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 November 2004, 14:16 GMT]
Six civilians were injured when Sri Lanka army opened fire indiscriminately on a crowd of people at Veppankulam Junction in Vavuniya town Thursday around 5.15 p.m. A civilian was seriously injured in the shooting. SLA troops fired directly into the crowds that were in front of the Pillaiyar temple where earlier in the morning the Thamil Eelam flag had been hoisted, according to the injured civilians. SLA troops pulled down the flagpole, tore up the flag and assaulted people who were in the area.

SLA troops and Police attempted to prevent crowds from hoisting the Thamil Eelam flag at Veppankulam Juntion. It failed when the crowds insisted that the flag had to be hoisted in memory of the war dead.

SLA troops returned later in the day in armoured carriers and attacked people in the area, residents of Veppankulam said.

The seriously injured civilian was taken to the Anuradhapura Hospital.