Two civilians shot dead in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 December 2006, 14:36 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen shot dead two civilians in Jaffna within the past twenty four hours. An elderly woman from Oddumadam, in the suburbs of Jaffna was killed by gunmen Friday morning at 11:00 a.m, and in a separate incident, a youth was shot dead Thursday night at 8:00 p.m. outside his residence in Chavakachcheri.

Thevathasan Vimala, 56, was called out of her residence in Araly Road, Oddumadam by a group of armed men who shot her dead on the spot.

Unidentified armed men killed Jeyakumar Thiriyan, 24, of Madduvil South, Chavakachcheri in Thenmaradchchy area after he was ordered to come out of his home.

The bodies of both victims were recovered by police and handed over to the morgue of Jaffna Teaching Hospital, hospital sources said.

The motives for the killings are not known.

Meanwhile due the death threats of the Sri Lanka forces and collaborating paramilitaries stationed in the peninsula, increasing number of youths fearing for their lives have been surrendering at the Jaffna office of Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (SLHRC) seeking protection for their lives.

Twenty eight youths are currently in protective custody at the Jaffna prison and more youths are expected to surrender in the coming days.