Senior TELO member killed

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Suspected members of the Liberation Tigers shot dead a senior operative of a paramilitary group working with the Special Task Force in Batticaloa last night around 10.30 p.m.

Atchuthan (Seenithambi Puvanenthiran, 27), who was killed last night, was in charge of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation's camp in the large village of Aaraipatthai (Aaraiyampathy), south of Batticaloa town.

Sources said that an armed TELO group led by Atchuthan was on a routine night patrol through the interior of Aaraipatthai around 10 a.m. last night when it had come upon two armed persons whom they had challenged.

The two persons had informed the TELO patrol that they were policeman from the local detachment. As the two had spoken in fluent Sinhalese, the TELO group had cleared them and had turned to proceed to their camp.

At this point, the armed men had opened fire, killing Atchuthan. Then the two had thrown a grenade at the TELO and made their escape.

The TELO cadres took to their heels, convinced that the two were Tigers.

The Special Task Force (STF) says that the attack on the TELO was carried out by the LTTE. The Tigers have attacked the TELO camp in Aaraipatthai on several occasions.

The TELO operates as a paramilitary group in the Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Vavuniya and Mannar districts.

Meanwhile, Subramanium, a businessman, and his Hiace van from Palukamam, an area west of the Batticaloa lagoon in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled region, was detained at the Aariayampathi by the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO) on Sunday, said sources in Batticaloa.

TELO carders have said that they will release Subramaniam and his van once 'inquiries are over'.

Relatives of Subramaniam, however, said that the TELO is demanding money for the businessman's release.

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