Hartal over civilian's death

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A hartal was observed in Trincomalee today in protest over the death of a student in a grenade attack on the local EPDP office on Saturday

The body of the boy, Sivaprakasam Annesly, 19, was kept at his school, St. Francis Xavier college for students to pay their last respects this morning.

Students wore black bands to express their protest.

The student was killed when two armed men riding a motor bicycle lobbed a grenade and fired on the EPDP office in Central Road in Trincomalee on Saturday.

He was in the vicinity talking to a friend sources said.

The EPDP says that it suspects that the PLOTE was behind the attack.

EPDP put up posters in the town today insinuating the involvement of the PLOTE in the attack.

Police sources said that this is a continuation of the clash between the two groups which had begun during the Jaffna local government polls last month.