Tension after Vadamarachchi shooting

Two Policemen have been interdicted following Sunday’s killing of a youth in Vadamarachchi East and a tense situation prevailed in the area yesterday.

The youth was killed after police opened fire on a lorry that was transporting a load of illegal sand when the occupants travelling inside the vehicle allegedly ignored a warning to stop.

The incident has sparked-off protests in the area as enraged residents engaged police in a tense stand-off and pelted the police station and vehicles with stones.

Residents also torched tires on the highway between the Kalikai Junction and Thunnalai disrupting vehicular traffic in the area and public transport was forced to a halt.

Meanwhile, the deceased has been identified as Thinesh. According to sources he had returned from abroad ten days ago and was not involved in illegal sand mining or such transportation. A special team of investigators have been rushed to Point Pedro to carry out a full probe into the incident, a senior police official said.

Anti-riot squad police personnel were also deployed in the area where protests had taken place.

(Source: Ceylon Today)