Two shot dead in Jaffna, civilian killings escalate

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 June 2007, 18:13 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen shot dead two civilians Saturday in Jaffna peninsula in two separate shootings, one at Mudakkaadu junction in Nelliyadi in Vadamaraadchi, and the other at Thirunelveali Kalladdi junction, sources in Jaffna said. The killings bring the total number of killed in Jaffna district in the last 72 hours to five.

The victim shot dead in Nelliyadi was identified as Vallipuram Satgunarajah alias Nithiyananthan, 57, a father of four children, originally from Karaveddi, and presently a trader in Thenmaraadchi.

The killers gunned down Satgunarajah, a former co-operative employee, as he was returning with his wife after worshiping at a temple.

Nelliyadi police handed his body to Manthikai hospital.

The youth shot dead at Kalladi junction was identified as Rajaratnam Satheesh, 24, from Puththoor, according to the National Identity Card found inside his clothes.

The gunmen followed Rajaratnam who was riding on his bicycle along Kaladdi Raamanaathan road, shot him on his head and chest and escaped from the site.

Rajaratnam's body is kept at Jaffna Teaching hospital.

Informed Jaffna sources said that the terror campaign has been stepped up by Military Intelligence (MI) operatives following the claymore attack in Navanthurai where an MI official was reportedly killed.