News in Brief:

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 May 1999, 09:54 GMT]
Police officer wounded in Trincomalee; A musical enetertainment program organised by the PLOTE was briefly disrupted by a grenade explosion; May Day celebrated in Mallavi and Mulliyawalai.

Police officer wounded

A sub-inspector was wounded when unidentified gunmen fired on a Sri Lankan Police party at Thuvaranakadu area in Uppuveli, two kilometers north of Trincomalee town, this morning around 6.30 a.m.

The wounded police officer, Rajapakse of the Uppuveli Police station, has been admitted at the Trincomalee base hospital. His condition is stable, according to medical sources.

The police party had gone to raid several breweries of illicit liquor (kasippu) in Thuvaranakadu, when the unidentified gunmen fired at them.

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Grenade explosion disrupts PLOTE rally

A musical enetertainment program organised by the PLOTE last night following its May day rally and meeting in Vavuniya town was briefly disrupted by a grenade explosion and gunfire around 11.15 p.m.

The explosion was heard from the direction of Kurumankaadu, a suburb of the town where a rival paramilitary group, the TELO is active, soon after the PLOTE's military wing leader Manikkam Daasan had addressed the meeting. Gunfire was also heard from the same direction later.

Police sources said that the explosion and gun fire may have been the result of the rivalry between the PLOTE and the TELO in Vavuniya.

The PLOTE's May Day meeting was held yesterday at the Vavuniya Urban Council grounds.

G.T Linganathan, Vavuniya Urban Council chairman (PLOTE), V.Balachandran, PLOTE MP for Vanni, S.Kirubairajah, Member of Jaffna Municipal Council (PLOTE) and Sanjay Siriwardena, PA Member of Western Provincial Council and other prominent members of PLOTE took part in the rally and meeting.

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May Day celebrated in Mallavi and Mulliyawalai

May Day was observed held in Mallavi and Mulliyawalai in the LTTE held regions of Vanni, the Voice of Tigers said this morning. The May Day procession started from Yogapuram and arrived at Mallavi it said.

The rally and meeting were held under the chairmanship of S.Sivamohan, chairman of the Palmyrah and Coconut Cooperative Society of the area.

Kariakalan, the deputy Leader of the Political Wing of the LTTE was the main speaker according to the radio .

Another May Day rally procession was organised from the Vattraapalai in the Puthukudiyeruppu area to the Mulliyawalai Vithyananda College.

Local community leaders of area attended the rally and meeting here the VoT said.