3 Tamils shot dead in 3 separate shootings, in Batticaloa district

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 November 2008, 14:34 GMT]
Unidentified armed men shot and killed three Tamil civilians Sunday night in three different places in Batticaloa district. The first killing took place around 7:00 p.m in Kokkaddichchoalai police division and the second in Kaaththaankudi police division around 7:15 p.m while the third in Ea'raavoor police division around 8:30 p.m, according to sources in the respective police stations.

The victim in the first shooting which took place in Arasadiththeevu area was identified as Nahalingam Ratnasingam, 30, a farmer and the father of two children, of Arasadiththeevu.

Two unidentified armed men called Ratnasingam out of his house and opened fire on him after conversing with him for some time, Kokkaddichchoalai police said.

The body of the victim, shot and killed at point blank range, was handed over to Batticaloa Teaching Hospital mortuary Monday morning.

The victim killed in Kaaththaankudi police division at Paaththimaapuram, Ollikku'lam area around 7:15 p.m was identified as Amarasingam Kiritharan, 28, a driver attached to a Non-government Organization in Batticaloa.

Kiritharan and his friend Robert were fishing in Ollikku'am lake when two unidentified gunmen who had come after them opened rapid fire on them.

Kritharan died on the spot while Robert narrowly escaped death, Kaaththaankudi police said.

Kiritharan's body was taken to Batticaloa Teaching Hospital mortuary.

In the shooting in Ea'raavoor police division the victim killed was identified as Sellathamby Velautham, 32, the father of three children from Chiththaa'nidi Velautham Veethi.

Two unidentified armed men who way laid Velautham as he was riding on his bicycle along the street near Chiththaa'ndi Church shot and killed him, the police said.

Velautham's body was handed over to Chengkaladi hospital where the inquest into the death was held, the police added.

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