3RD LEAD (correction)

Tamil TV announcer, husband shot dead in Colombo

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 August 2005, 11:27 GMT]
Senior Announcer at Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) Mrs. Relangi Selvarajah (45) and her husband Mr. Sinnadurai Selvarajah (48) were shot dead by unidentified gunmen Friday around 12:45 p.m. at Bampalapitiya St. Peter’s lane Colombo where they ran a Travel Agency, Kinross Travel Service, Police sources in Colombo said.

Two unidentified persons came to the travel and moneychange office at St. Peter’s lane owned by the couple and shot them while other workers in the office an accountant, two receptionist and one office assistant were out for lunch, Bampalapitiya police further said.

The bodies are still in the premises and the office has been sealed by the police.

The motives for the murder have not been established yet, police further said.

In 1987 Ms Selvarajah joined the Srilanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) and has been working as a senior announcer since 2000. Later she worked as an announcer and news reader in Srilanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC).

Currently she has been working as a freelancer in SLRC. She is the announcer “Uthaya Darisanam” programme on every Sunday at 9:00 a.m to 10:30 a.m.

Ms Selvarajah started her career as an announcer in Jaffna "Manikkural" local broadcasting service from 1979 to 1983.

She was named the best actress for her part in the (Sri Lankan) Tamil film "Theivam thantha Veedu" in 1978.

The couple have an 8 month old old baby girl.

Mr. S. Selvarajah was formerly a member of Peoples Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE).

The couple have been running their business for the last two years at the same location, sources said.