Gunman opens fire on Fonseka supporters, woman killed, 10 wounded

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 January 2010, 14:17 GMT]
A 58-year-old mother of five died on the spot and ten civilians seriously injured when a gunman who arrived in a motor bike fired at a bus transporting supporters of common opposition candidate General Sarath Fonseka Tuesday afternoon in Tangalle of the southern province. Tension prevailed in the area following the shooting incident, which the Sri Lankan police described as the first ever election related killing reported from the Southern Sri Lanka.

The killing was carried out allegedly by a son of a United Peoples Freedom Alliance politician. The man opened fire at the bus using a T-56 rifle at Ranna in Tangalle police division Tueday around 3:00 p.m. while the civilians were being transported in a bus to an opposition presidential election rally organized by Sajith Premadasa, UNP parliamentarian.

The woman killed was identified as Kusumawathi Kurupuarrachchi.

Of the injured four persons were admitted to the Tangalle general hospital and three were admitted to the Matara district hospital.