SLA trooper, youth shot dead in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 September 2006, 16:40 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) trooper riding in a motorbike was shot dead by unknown gunmen Friday night in Vavuniya Kovil Kulam area, Vavuniya Police said Saturday. Also in Vavuniya Tharanikulam area, an unidentified body of a youth, alleged to be a Sinhalese from Nedunkulam was recovered at 9:00 a.m. Saturday, sources in Vavuniya said.

Residents of Tharanikulam said that the youth was shot dead at 7:30 p.m. Friday by unidentified gunmen who came in a three-wheeler. The gunmen escaped after killing the youth, residents added.

Grama Sevaka of the area, visiting the crime scene Saturday, said that no artifacts have been found in the deceased body indicating the identity of the youth.

The killings bring the total number killed in the last two days by unidentified gunmen to four.

Police had earlier recovered bodies of two youths shot and killed by unknown gunmen near Muniyappar Kovil junction near Uthankulam in Vavuniya Friday afternoon.