Two youths killed in ambush

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 September 2000, 12:04 GMT]
Two youths were shot and killed by a Special Task Force ambush unit at Aariyampathi about 8 km. south of Batticaloa on the Kalmumai road around 10.45 p.m. Tuesday said sources.

Poopalapillai Sreekanth,23, and Kanakasabai Karunakaran were returning home from a funeral when they were shot at by the STF commanders who were lying in ambush. Both of them died on the spot, the sources said.

The STF handed over their bodies to the Batticaloa hospital Wednesday morning, claiming that they were members of the Liberation Tigers. However the youths' relatives said that they had no connection with the organisation.

Poopalapillai Sreekanth is a married man, and Kanakasabai Karunakaran was to travel to Switzerland next week, according to the relatives.