4TH LEAD

Paramilitary gunmen attack Jaffna daily, 2 killed

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 May 2006, 14:25 GMT]
Five armed paramilitary gunmen who entered the main office of the Jaffna daily Uthayan Tuesday night around 7:45 p.m., opened fire on editorial staff, killing at least two staffers, including the daily's marketing manager and wounding two, according to initial reports. At least 40 gunshots were heard, residents said.

The Marketing Manger, Bastian George Sagayathas (Suresh), 37, and Rajaratnam Ranjith, 25, were killed.

S. Uthayakumar and N. Thayakaran, two staffers at the office were rushed to Jaffna Hospital with wounds.

Two editorial staffers who were working at the top-floor of the office escaped as they had managed to hide inside the office.

"The gunmen were shooting at will, everybody they found inside the office were shot. Finally, they smashed all the computers in the office," an employee who managed to escape from the attackers told TamilNet.

Four gunmen were armed with T-56 rifles and the other was firing using a handgun, eyewitnesses said.

One of the attackers, in black civil clothes, was identified as an EPDP paramilitary cadre by the eyewitnesses in the area.

Uthayan office is located on Kasthuriyar Road in Jafna town.

Police has arrived at the site.