2nd Lead (Corrections)

Woman's body found near Vallipuram temple

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 November 2005, 12:56 GMT]
Unidentified body of a young woman, estimated to be around 25 years, was found inside an abandoned building 200 meters from the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) checkpoint along the Point-Pedro Nagarkovil road near the Vallipuram Vishnu temple, sources from Jaffna said.

The building where the body was found formerly belonged to the Palmyrah Development Board.

Point Pedro police recovered the body around 5.30 pm and has transported the body to Point Pedro Government Hospital in Manthikai for postmortem examinations.

Dr C Kathiravetpilliai attached to Manthikai Hospital said that the woman was strangled around her neck with the ribbon worn to tie her hair. Only postmortem examination will reveal if she was sexually assaulted before being killed, he told the press.

The area is controlled by the SLA and people travelling to Vadamaradchy east from Point Pedro have to cross this checkpoint. People use this route only during day light hours. No vehicular or pedestrian traffic cross the checkpoint at night.