PLOTE blamed for TELO killings

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 February 1999, 17:52 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Police detained the vehicle of a Sri Lankan Muslim Congrss (SLMC) member of the Vavuniya Urban Council (UC) tonight in connection with the killing of three TELO members at Kurumankaadu junction, by the PLOTE earlier this evening.

The UC member, M.K Aariff, has said that the PLOTE had borrowed his vehicle this evening, promising to return it in an hour later.

Three members of the TELO, including the person who was in charge of its finances in Vavuniya, Ketheeswaran alias Ketheesh, were killed on the spot when gunmen suspected to be members of the PLOTE sprayed the van in which they were travelling with automatic fire.

The other TELO members killed in the incident are Ravichandran alias Soosai Ravi and Ramesh Kanna, the leader of the Student Union.

Their bodies are being kept at the TELO camp, about 1 km from the scene of the attack.

Mr. Rajakumaran, 29, a lecturer at the college of education and another civilian (not identified yet) were also wounded when the PLOTE fired on the TELO.

Sri Lanka Red Cross Society officials rushed to the scene and evacuated the wounded to the hospital immediately.

Sources in Vavuniya said the shops were immediately closed and people are tense and staying in their houses.

The problem erupted last week over the sharing of the 'taxes' both groups levy from traders in this thriving border town.

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