3 policemen killed in Claymore attack in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 June 2008, 18:31 GMT]
A Claymore attack targeting policemen of Aayithiyamalai police station in Batticaloa district, Monday around 6:15 p.m. killed 3 policemen and seriously injured another, Aayiththiyamalai police said. A Claymore device hidden in the thickets close to the place where policemen from Aayithiyamalai police station go for bath was activated by unknown men, the police added.

The policemen killed in the attack were identified as S. H. Chanthana, P. M. Sameera and T. Indika.

K. Amila, the policeman seriously injured in the attack, was rushed to the hospital.

Policemen attached to Aayiththiyamalai police station have their daily morning and evening bath in the stream where the Monday attack took place.

The stream is about 50 m from the police station.

The police and Sri Lanka Army troops launched a joint search following the attack but no one was arrested.

Aayiththiyamalai was earlier the territory of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) that came into government control recently.

Aayithtiyamalai police post is a newly established police station.