Armed men gun down 5 Tamil fishermen in Ampaa’rai

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 April 2009, 12:53 GMT]
A gang of unidentified armed men entering the fishing harbour area in Paanama Ukanthai in Ampaa’rai district Sunday morning shot and killed five Tamil fishermen who had gone there Saturday night in their motor fishing boats, sources in Ampaa’rai said. Meanwhile, Special Task Force (STF) commandos arrested 12 Tamil youths including students in a search conducted in Thirukkoayil, Akkaraipattu and Nochchikku’lam in Ampaa’rai district Monday, the sources added.

The fishermen killed Sunday were identified as K. Kathiravel, 39, S. Ragunathan, 36, T. L. Uthayakumar, 23, P. Vijayakumar, 27 and R. Jeeva, 31.

The fishing boats and the fishermen's work sheds in the harbour had been set fire to by the killers.

The youths taken into custody by STF commandos Monday are being detained in Akkaraipattu and Thirukkoayil police stations, their relatives said.