PLOTE cadre shot dead in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 04 July 2003, 16:05 GMT]
Vairamuththu Mehanathan (32), alias Justin, a member of the Peoples Liberation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), was shot dead by two unknown assailants who came in a motorbike Friday at 6.15pm while he was riding his bicycle home from the PLOTE office in Vaidiyamalai Road in Puthur, Batticaloa district, ex-militant sources said.

Justin, who was a resident of Vavunathivu was a long term member of PLOTE.

The shooting took place in front of the milk processing center in Thimilaithivu, Police sources said. The assailants used a hand-gun and shot Justin at close range, accordingto reports.

Justin's body has been taken to Batticaloa teaching hospital for postmortem examinations, medical sources said.

Batticaloa police who rushed to the scene of the incident, carried out a cordon and search operation in the area, and are conducting investigations into the killing, security sources said.