2ND LEAD (Correction)

SLA fires at Puthur protesters, seven injured

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 October 2005, 11:28 GMT]
Seven Tamil civilians injured and four of them were admitted to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital Friday evening following the shooting by soldiers of the SLA at Puttur junction at the angry crowd which pelted stones and threw a petrol bomb at the army sentry around 3.30 p.m. The crowd later is alleged to have set fire to an army vehicle, sources said. SLA soldiers fired at least 250 gunshots to bring the situation under their control. Monitors of the SLMM arrived at the site at 12.15 and remained there until late evening, Helen Olafsdottir of SLMM has told TamilNet.

Four demonstrants, a woman Iyankan Ponni (70), Niroshan (20), Christie Clemanto (33) and S.Nagalingam (33) who were injured while being chased away by the SLA soldiers were taken to the Atchuveli hospital after one hour when SLA allowed ambulances to enter the area. Three of the persons were later transferred to Jaffna Hospital. Details of the type of injuries were not available.

The fate of other three civilians is not known, as the soldiers did not allow them to be taken out from the site, sources said.

The incident took place 1 km east of Puthur junction which is on Jaffna - Point Pedro Road. The eastbound road from Puthur Junction, Puthur-Vatharavattai Road has been blocked for all traffic by the SLA.

One soldier was injured in the clash according security sources.

Following this incident, the youths have set fire to an SLA truck close to the camp.

Petrol bombs were used by the youth, police said. The fence of the SLA camp has been burnt down.

Many villagers have fled the area. Tension prevails in the area.