2ND LEAD (Update)

Suicide attacker kills 2 paramilitary men in Batticaloa - Police

[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 February 2008, 06:46 GMT]
An unknown attacker with a hidden explosive triggered the device killing himself and two Pillayan Group paramilitary personnel, when he was blocked by the paramilitary personnel near the place of an election-campaign meeting by the Pillayan Group in Ka'luvaagnchchikkudi Sunday morning at 9:30. Police characterized the attack as the first attempted "suicide attack," possibly planned to target a key paramilitary operative after the Sri Lankan forces had brought the district under their military control. A cordon and search operation launched by the Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) commandos lead to a total traffic standstill between Kalmunai and Batticaloa, following the explosion.

The two paramilitary personnel, killed in the explosion near Shakthi Illam on Batticaloa Ka'luvaagnchikkudi Road, were identified as Sutha, 21, and Jegan, 23 by the group.

A civilian female traveler on the road, Kajenthini Thambirajah, 32, was wounded in the explosion. She was rushed to Ka'luvaagnchikkudi base hospital and later transferred to Batticaloa Teaching hospital.

The explosion took place when the attacker who came in a bicycle was being questioned by the paramilitary personnel who were riding in a motorbike, according to the Police.