The killing of a youth and injury to another in a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) shooting Friday evening at Kiraan beach in Vaazhaichcheanai, Batticaloa, happened when a group of Tamil youth tried to flee the country by sea, Sri Lankan Police said Saturday. Food, medical items, gas cylinders and life jackets were recovered from the spot, according to the police, who alleged that a group of people were trying to flee the country by boat.
Hard pressed Tamils in the East risk long sea journeys to escape from the SLA occupied province, according to news sources in Batticaloa, who cite Tamil refugees reaching far away locations such as Indonesia and Australia.
The victim shot dead by the SLA was identified as 22-year-old Christian Robinson, according to Vaazhaichcheani hospital.
32-year-old Ramanan Packiyarasa was injured in the SLA shooting.
Another victim, 27-year-old K. Kanesan was bitten by a crocodile when he ran into the nearby backwaters as the SLA started firing at the group.
Some of the persons were later arrested by the police and subjected to interrogations.
The SLA that shot at the group had come from Kumpu’rumalai camp on receipt of the information that a suspicious boat and a group of persons were observed along the beach.
Dead body of the victim Christian Robinson
One of the wounded victims at the hospital
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