Entire Trincomalee district under curfew

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 April 2003, 16:21 GMT]
The entire Trincomalee district has been brought under twelve-hour police curfew with effect from Sunday at 7 p.m. The curfew will be lifted Monday at 7 a.m. police announced through public address system in the Trincomalee town, sources in Trincomalee said.

The curfew imposed Saturday in Trincomalee following violent incidents at Jamaliya area, suburb of the east port town, was lifted Sunday morning 6 a.m, police sources said.

Police sources added that the Trincomalee district has been brought under night curfew as a precautionary measure to prevent clashes between groups.

Earlier the Police decided to reimpose curfew only in Muttur police division and in Ales Garden and Jamaliya in Uppuveli police division in the east port town. Later police officials decided to bring the entire district under twelve-hour curfew, security sources said.

Meanwhile, the hand grenade attack that took place at Jamaliya, about one km north of Trincomalee town Saturday evening was the result of an enmity between two traders of the same community, the police said after preliminary investigation.

As the six injured in the attack were Muslims, several Muslim youths gathered at the scene and started attacking Tamils travelling through the area. A three wheeler and a motor vehicle belonged to Tamils were also damaged, police sources said.

About six Tamils were assaulted and were admitted at the hospital with injuries, medical sources said.

The police ruled out any connection between Jamaliya incident and Muttur violence and ruled out LTTE's involvement in the Jamaliya incident, security sources said.