Army kills man crossing sentry post

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 July 2001, 20:05 GMT]
A 35 year old man was shot and killed by Sri Lanka Army soldiers manning a sentry post at Siththaandy, 22 km. north of Batticaloa, around 5 p.m. Friday, local residents said.

They said the soldiers from Morakoddanchenai, who were manning the sentry post, stopped the victim and questioned him before they opened fire and killed him on the spot. He was reportedly on his way to a rice mill when he was stopped.

The victim is a father of one, and was identified as Veerappan Kanapathapillai.

The army claimed the troops opened fire at the man because he started to run upon observing the soldiers at the sentry post. The army handed over the body at the Eravur hospital where an inquest was held. His 7-month pregnant wife identified the body at the hospital.

Villagers say there had not been any confrontations in the area today.