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Grenade explosion kills one, curfew imposed in Trinco

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 May 2005, 14:08 GMT]
Police imposed curfew in Trincomalee town from Tuesday evening to Wednesday morning following several explosions in which one died and three others injured. The incident took place Tuesday afternoon when an unidentified person threw a grenade targeting a shop in the Madathady junction in the east port town while the general shut down (hartal) was in progress, police said.

The identity of the person killed is yet to be established, police said.

The general shut down was observed demanding the immediate removal of the Buddha statue installed in an area close to the Trincomalee bus stand responding to the call made by the Trincomalee District Tamil Peoples' Forum (TDTPF).

Five more explosions were heard in other areas in the town Tuesday evening.

Tensions escalated in the town following explosions prompting the Police to clamp curfew to bring the situation under control, sources said.

Mr.Neville Wijesinghe, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Eastern Region) is in Trincomalee town monitoring the situation assisted by Trincomalee Senior Superintendent of Police and other police officials, police said.

Monitors of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) based in the east port town are also watching the situation, sources said.



Conferences were organized by the Police Monday evening and Tuesday morning to settle the dispute.