5TH LEAD

Nine SLN sailors killed, 10 wounded in Claymore blast in Chettikulam

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 January 2006, 10:48 GMT]
Nine Sri Lanka Navy sailors were killed and ten wounded when their bus hit a Claymore mine in Chettikulam Thursday evening around 4:20 p.m., Sri Lankan naval sources said. The attack took place on Madawachi - Mannar Road. A Sinhala home guard was reported killed and a Muslim youth was wounded in SLN gunfire following the attack. Sri Lanka Army soldiers who cordoned off and searched the area have attacked civilian residents in Veerapuram village located close to the site of explosion. Tension prevails in the area, civilian sources said.

The bus with SLN sailors left the Vavuniya-Punava Naval Base around 3:30 carrying sailors to Mannar, sources said.

The Claymore explosion was reported, between Chettikulam and Adappankulam, at Siluvai (Cross) junction where Nelukkulam and Chettykulam Roads crosscut with Madawachi-Mannar main road. A police checkpost is located at the junction.

Chettikulam is located 24 km southwest of Vavuniya town.

Additional troops were sent to the area to conduct a cordon and search operation.

A Sinhala home guard, H. Jeyasinghe, 50, was killed and a Muslim youth, Mohammed Naffar, was wounded in the gunfire by SLN personnel following the Claymore attack.

Names of the nine SLN sailors killed in the blast:

• K. K. Chandrapala
• A. S. Dhanapala
• M. Fernando
• S. M. Subasinghe
• S. K-Prasath Nilantha
• H. Gunetilleke
• G. G. Athukorale
• W. G. A. Wijeyasooriya
• M. M. P. Ajantha

The bodies of the sailors killed in Chettikulam were taken to Madawachiya Hospital mortuary, medical sources said.

C. T. S. Srimeman, K. Fernando, A.T.M. Fernando, H.N.A. Fernando, A. D. Chandrasri and M.K.K. Ranathunge were six of the ten sailors wounded in the Claymore blast.

Injured sailors were immediatly admitted to the Chettikulam hospital and later transferred to Anuradhapura hospital.