STF hand over bodies

[TamilNet, Friday, 10 March 2000, 20:30 GMT]
Special Task Force (STF) troops handed over bodies of four people to the Kaluwanchikudy hospital today, claiming they were members of the Liberation Tigers. Two of them were later identified as civilians by relatives, medical sources said.

Representatives of the International Committee of Red Cross accepted only two bodies to be handed over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the sources said.

The four were shot dead by the STF on Thursday in Vellaveli, about 15 kilometres west of Kaluwanchikudy in the eastern province, residents said. Kaluwanchikudy is 35 km. south of Batticaloa town.

Vellaveli is in Tiger controlled area. The STF and the Sri Lanka Police have camps in Mandoor village.

The civilians shot dead by the STF were identified as of Thirumeni Sunthararajan of Vellaveli and Suntharalingam Subendran of 40th Colony by their relatives.

K. Suntharaligam said in evidence that his late son, Subendran, was to go abroad for employment on March 20. On the day of incident he went to send him off before he left the island.

Ms T. Vasanathakumary said in evidence that her late elder brother, Sunthararajan, on the day of incident left home to repair his bicycle. Thereafter she saw his body at the hospital.

Coroner Mr S. Karalasingham, reordered a verdict of death due to gunshot wounds. Their bodies were handed to the relatives. The other two bodies were handed over to ICRC representaives.