Police officer, 2 civilians killed, 14 injured in bomb blast in Valaichenai

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 February 2007, 15:19 GMT]
Unidentified persons detonated a cycle bomb killing a police inspector and two civilians, and injuring fourteen persons including 5 Police officers at Trincomalee main street, Ottamavadi in Valaichenai police division in Batticaloa around 5:05 p.m. Wednesday. The attack was targetted towards a jeep carrying a police team which had come to relieve the group of constables stationed there, Valaichenai police said.

The dead persons were identified as Karunaratne, 39, Inspector of police, and civilians Meera Lebai Ahamed Usanar, 45 of Piranthuraichenai and Sehuth Ali Kileel Rahuman, 32 of Ward No. 4, Valaichenai and a father of one child.

9 civilians among the 14 injured were rushed to Valaichenai hospital while the five police personnel were taken to Polanaruwa hospital.

The police team including Police Inspectors from Valaichenai police station left for Ottamavadi around 4:30 p.m. and was about to return with the relieved police personnel when the attack took place.