Trinco 'hartal' killing inquest continues

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 29 October 2002, 21:17 GMT]
The inquest into the killing of three Tamil civilians in a grenade attack and gun fire on October 11 in Trincomalee town resumed Tuesday afternoon before the Trincomalee Magistrate Mr.S.Thiagendran.

One of the injured Tamil youth, Rajaretnam Vinotharajah, said in evidence that soon after he arrived at the scene, he heard a bomb explosion from about twenty feet away from the place where he was standing, and after a few minutes he heard two gunshots.

"I did not know from where the grenade was lobbed. Soon after I heard gunshots I saw a sub-inspector of police running towards us, pointing his pistol towards us," said the witness Vinotharajah. Witness added he was unable to identify the police officer.

Kasipillai Sathiskumar, who was also injured in the attack, came to court in crutches to give evidence. He said that he was also injured in the grenade explosion. He was taken to Trincomalee hospital by boat as a crowd near Abeyapura prevented him from being taken to hospital by main road in a vehicle. He was unable to say who threw the grenade and from which direction the grenade was hurled. He did not hear any gunshots on that day.

Magistrate Mr.S.Thiagendran put off further inquiry for November 06.

Inspector R.Ratwatte, Officer-in-Charge of the Uppuveli Police, also gave evidence Tuesday. The Assistant Superintendent of Police Mr. Ajith Rohana led the evidence.

Attorney-at-Law Mr. K.S.Ratnavelu of the Centre for Human Rights and Development Centre with Attorney-at-Laws Messrs K.Sivapalan, K.Lafir, P.Antony watched the interests of the victims.