Dead bodies thought to be traders

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 November 1998, 14:54 GMT]
Two bodies of civilians were found this morning, along with cement bags, near the coast in jungle areas at Eluththoor in the Mannar district, Police said. The Sri Lankan Army (SLA) has told the police that last night the security forces in the area had heard reports of guns in the area, they had gone to the spot in the morning and found the dead bodies.

The police have reported the matter to the District Judge and informed the courts that the area of the incident is not safe enough to take the Judge for inspection.

Thereupon the judge ordered the acting Magistrate Gayas Feldano to conduct the inquest.

Sources in Mannar said that this is the 4th incident in the Eluththoor area, where so far 06 illegal traders have been killed.

Although the area is cleared and under the control of the SLA, the security forces have denied involvement with these deaths and previous incidents when traders have been killed.

Yesterday's killings took place at the same spot where two illegal traders were killed on the 5th August this year. Two illegal traders were killed one at a time at the same spot, in two separate incidents before August this year, the sources added.