Policemen shot at in Kaluwanchikudy

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
One military trained policeman was shot dead and another wounded by unidentifiedyouths at around 9.00am today in Kaluwanchikudy, 35 kilometers south of Batticaloa town.

The wounded policeman was taken to the Ampara base hospital which is about forty five km from Kaluwanchikudy.His condition is said to be serious.

Kaluwanchikudy is a high security zone on the main road from Batticaloa to Kalmunai supervised by a police camp and an STF base.

Five civilians were arrested later around 12.30 p.m. near the spot where the policemen were shot.

Residents at the scene said that a police party which was checking civilians near the local post office had accosted some youths there and demanded that they show their national identity cards.

But the youth had pulled out hand guns and shot at the policemen.

People in the vicinity ran for cover as the youth walked away from the scene. Residents said Kaluwanchikudy was tense this afternoon following the incident.

Sri Lankan police units in the east operate as soldiers. Armed with similar small arms, they are deployed in combat patrols against the LTTE and also man military defences.