Former TELO member shot dead

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 June 2003, 00:01 GMT]
Kalirajah Ramanan (35), a former member of Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO) and a former member of the Batticaloa Municipal Council was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Punochchimunai 7km north of Batticaloa town at 8.30pm Sunday, security sources said.

Ramanan stood elections representing TELO and was elected to the Municipal council. On dissolution of the Council, he quit TELO and joined the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP). Later he left EPDP and was functioning as a member of the Eelam Peoples Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) - Varathar faction, ex-militant sources said.

Sources added that he left EPRLF and went to the Middle-East to work. Recently he returned from Middle-east and was living in Navatkuda with his wife and children.

He was self-employed, sourced said.

Ramanan was followed by two youths while he was going towards Punochchimunai. The youths shot him at point blank range with handguns and disappeared. Ramanan was killed instantly, according to security sources.

Katankudi Police are investigating into the murder, police sources said.