News in Brief:

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 March 1999, 09:46 GMT]
The VoT said that eight Liberation Tigers and one of its supporter died in Mankulam; Explosion damages railway wagon in Colombo; The Sri Lankan Army warns paramilitary group, the PLOTE against extorting money from businessmen.

Eight LTTE casualties - VoT

The Voice of Tigers (VoT) radio said this morning that 4 Liberation Tigers and one of its supporters died in an accidental explosion at Mankulam yesterday.

On the same day another LTTE member died in a clash with the Sri Lankan Army in the Mankulam area, the radio added.

The radio further said that three Tigers died in a confrontation with the SLA in Mankulam on March 1.

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Explosion damages railway wagon

A bomb exploded in the wagon of an empty train near Narahenpitty station in Colombo last night around 11.00 p.m., the Sri Lankan Railway authorities said.

They said that the bomb exploded in the wagon next to the locomotive.

No one was wounded in the explosion.

The Sri Lankan Police and the Railway authorities are conducting investigations.

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SLA warns Jaffna PLOTE

Brig. Marambe warned the Jaffna Organiser of the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), Mr. Kirupairajah, against levying taxes or extorting money from Jaffna businessmen.

The warning came after PLOTE cadres had threatened the owner of the 'Gopika Textiles' to pay them money.

The owner had contacted the Human Rights Commission in Jaffna, which brought the matter to the Sri Lankan Army.

The Brigadier summoned the PLOTE organiser and had warned him that his group would be held responsible if any thing happens to the textile shop or to the owner.

Meanwhile the Sri Lankan Police has said that lodge owners in the northern town of Vavuniya should submit a list of guests staying in the lodges to them daily.

They also told the lodge owners that they should not allow anyone other than the Police and the Army to conduct search operations in the lodges.