Soldiers, civilians injured in Mutur clash

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 October 2001, 06:12 GMT]
One military trained police constable was killed and two Sri Lanka army soldiers and a ‘Police security assistant’ were wounded when the Liberation Tigers attacked the security forces post near the Central College in Mutur town, south of Trincomalee Friday morning around 8 a.m. with small arms and mortars. Two civilians were killed and three were wounded in retaliatory fire and shelling, residents said.

The wounded police and army personnel and civilians were admitted to Mutur and

Trincomalee hospitals, medical sources said. The dead and wounded civilians were from Aanaichchenai and Aalimchchenai, on the outskirts of the Mutur town sources said.

The school was closed after the clash. Students and teachers fled in panic for safety during the firefight near the school. Later the school authorities announced over loud hailers that no student was hurt in the clash to allay the fears of panicked parents. The school was closed down for the day.

Parents and social organisations have been urging the Sri Lankan security forces to remove the combined Police and army post from the vicinity of the school as it may, according to them, endanger the life of the students and teachers during confrontations.