SLA shoots dead civilian in Chavakachcheri

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 February 2007, 12:08 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers on a foot patrol along A9 highway, 300 meters from Chavakachcheri town in Thenmaradchy, shot dead a civilian at 6:00 a.m. Wednesday, sources said. The soldiers panicked and opened fire when the man suddenly emerged from a lavatory adjoining his house, relatives said.

The victim was identified as Rasenthiram Ilanchelvan, 32. More than 15 bullet wounds were found in Ilanchelvan's body, according to Police.

The Chavakachcheri magistrate visited the scene of the crime, and directed the Police to hand over the body to Jaffna Teaching Hospital for postmortem examinations.

SLA soldiers have been psychologically affected by the increasing incidents of claymore and grenade attacks, and the fear of such attacks has resulted in the soldiers opening fire indiscriminately on unsuspecting civilians, civil society sources in Jaffna said.