Date:10/10/2002 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2002/10/10/stories/2002101005291100.htm

International

4 killed in police firing in Sri Lanka

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO. Oct. 9. About four people were killed and several others injured when police opened fire at a mob today in the ethnically-sensitive Amparai district in eastern Sri Lanka.

According to sources, trouble started earlier in the day when two Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) men were injured and hospitalised after a clash with the Special Task Force (STF) police.

Later, angry mobs attacked an STF camp in the eastern district, resulting in the shoot-out. The Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe has ordered a probe into the incident by a three-member defence team.

Eastern Sri Lanka, with an ethnic mix of Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese, is seen as the weakest link in the fragile peace process, which is currently underway.