'Friendly fire' hits EPRLF cadres

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 31 August 1999, 12:05 GMT]
Sri Lankan Police shot dead a member of the Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) and arrested another following the claymore attack on the police jeep at Veerapuram this morning said the group's district secretary in Vavuniya, Mr N.Sivasakthy Ananthan.

He said the police shot dead Vilvarajah, 30 when he went to the spot to help the wounded.

Maraivaanan was arrested by the Cheddikulam Police while he was transporting the wounded persons to the Cheddikulam hospital, he added.

The attack took place at the 20. kilometre post along Nelukulam-Neriyakulam road.

Three labourers of the Road Development Authority (RDA), Vavuniya were wounded in the attack, police sources said.

The police reinforcements which rushed to the scene opened fire on seeing EPRLF members who had gone to help the wounded said Sivasakthy Anandan adding some of his group's members were also assaulted.

Vilvarajah the dead member of EPRLF had been brought to Vavuniya hospital along with the bodies of the Police personnel who were killed in the attack, hospital sources said

Cadres of the EPRLF operate with the Sri Lanka Army in operations against the Liberation Tigers.