LTTE steps up violence against Tamil civilians; a youth killed and another abducted- Vavuniya

Suspected LTTE terrorists gunned down a Tamil youth at Ganeshapuram in Vavuniya last night. According to the defence sources the victim identified as Selvaraja Gajendran had been killed by a group of armed gang believed to be LTTE pistol-men around 9.15p.m, whilst he was at his residence. Civilian sources said that the youth had turned down the LTTE's orders to join the outfit for several times.

Separately, a 21 year old Three-Wheeler driver, Jesurathnam Roshan was abducted by the LTTE terrorists at Peedarikulam in Vavuniya around 7.30 on Saturday (13th) evening. Father of the victim made a complaint to the police and said that the abduction was carried out by none other than the LTTE. Police personnel probing into the incident later found the three-wheeler abandoned in the Murunkan area.

It was also known from the civilian sources that the outfit had demanded all youths living in the Tamil villages in the government controlled areas in Wanni to join the outfit with immediate effect. However, the order rarely had any affect due to dwindling LTTE influence in the area, the sources further added.

Meanwhile, a Tamil fisherman K. Gansharaja yesterday (15th) logged a complaint to the Mannar police that his fishing boat and the engine were forcibly taken away by the LTTE terrorists.

According to the police sources a group of armed LTTE cadres had robbed the items from victim's residence at Shanthipuram road, Mannar on Saturday (14th) morning.