Policeman, civilian killed, one soldier injured in separate incidents in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 August 2006, 13:38 GMT]
A police constable and a Tamil civilian were killed and a soldier of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) was injured in three separate incidents that took place Wednesday evening and Thursday morning in Batticaloa district.

A soldier of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) of Kommathurai camp in Eravur police division in Batticaloa district was injured when armed men in ambush fired at a group of soldiers who were on patrol duty in Vantharumoolai Thursday morning around 5.10 p.m. The injured soldier was admitted at the Pollonaruwa general hospital.

Mr.Malaka Gunawardene, 19, police constable was killed in claymore mine explosion that took place Wednesday evening around 7.45 p.m. The claymore mine was placed near the office of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) located along Batticaloa Ottamavadi road, targeting police personnel who were on duty, Valaichchenai police said. The injured police constable was first rushed to Valaichchenai hospital and then transferred to Pollonaruwa as his condition was reported critical. However he succumbed to injuries on admission to Pollonaruwa hospital.

Meanwhile unidentified armed men riding motorbike shot dead a 26 year old Tamil youth Vasuthevan Raguthevan, driver of a three-wheeler at Sathurukondan in Batticaloa police division when he was about to leave to Batticaloa town. Post-mortem examination on his body was held in Batticaloa Teaching Hospital and thereafter it was handed over to his relatives. Police began investigation in to the killing.