5TH LEAD

Three business owners, retired Police officer, shot dead in Thenmaradchi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 April 2006, 03:22 GMT]
A reputed jewellery shop owner from Chavakachcheri, a mini-tractor owner from Sarasalai and a tailor shop owner from Usan, Mirusuvil, were shot and killed in three shooting incidents, by suspected paramilitary cadres working with the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) intelligence, civilian sources in Chavakacheri said. Families fearing reprisals from the Sri Lanka military in Jaffna peninsula have again started moving into safer areas inside the Liberation Tigers controlled territories, passing the Muhamalai checkpoint after the reports of serial killings in SLA controlled Thenmaradchi sector of Jaffna district Thursday.

Panchadcharam Kirupakaran, 36, who owns the jewellery shop, "Saranga," in Jaffna town was gunned down in front of his house located on Kandy Road (A9) in Chavakachcheri.

His body has been taken to Jaffna Teaching Hospital for postmortem examinations, hospital sources said.

A mini-tractor Landmaster owner from Manthuvil, Mr. Thambirasa Thayaparan, 32, was also gunned down Thursday morning.

The third victim gunned down in Thenmaradchi Thursday was Mr. Selvaratnam Vijayakumar, 28, a tailor shop owner from Usan, Mirusuvil.

Meanwhile, a retired Police officer, Thambiah Ratnasabapathy, 64, from Meesalai, was also shot dead at 12.30 p.m. Thursday by unknown gunmen riding in a motorbike, sources said.

Chavakachcheri magistrate, A Premshankar, inspected the inspected the sites of the killings before ordering the bodies to be taken for postmortem examinations.

The bodies were later handed over to the relatives of victims.