Curfew imposed in Muttur town, suburbs

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 April 2003, 17:11 GMT]
Dusk to dawn curfew has been imposed in Muttur town and its suburbs following sporadic clashes between sections of Muslims and Tamils Thursday evening. Several incidences of violence have been reported from Palathoppur and Thoppur, police sources said

At least two Tamil youths Sinnathamby Kalaiventhan and Velayutham Gopal have been admitted in the Killiveddy hospital with cut injuries and three Muslim persons including a woman Abdul Hakim (25), M.T.Hamroon and Ms Abesha Bee (40). have been admitted at the Muttur government hospital with gunshot injuries, medical sources said..

Another Muslim man named Mohamed Deen has been admitted at the Hali-Oluwa hospital with gunshot injuries.

Colombo media sources reported that at least three Muslim persons had died in a shooting incident Thursday evening. But independent Muttur sources said they were unable to confirm the number of deaths in connection with the shooting. Telephone service from Muttur and Thoppur has gone out of order since Thursday evening, sources said.

Tension that prevailed for more than a week in Muttur following the disappearance of two Muslim youths further escalated Wednesday when the mother of one abducted youth had committed suicide, sources said.

Muslim sources accuse LTTE is behind the alleged abduction. But the LTTE has denied any involvement in the abduction and said it was the work of anti-peace elements to bring rift between Tamils and Muslim in order to derail the peace process.

More police personnel have been dispatched from Trincomalee and Kantale to Muttur to bring the situation under control, sources said.

Meanwhile Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader and a minister Mr.Rauff Hakim who arrived Muttur on Tuesday to diffuse the tension which has arisen over the alleged abduction of two Muslim youths is still in Muttur, sources said.