Tigers fire at bus killing four

LTTE targets Kataragama festival pilgrims :

Ranil Wijayapala and Daneshi Yatawara

KATARAGAMA: Four people including a mother and a son and two other females were killed and 25 others sustained injuries yesterday as LTTE cadres hiding in the Yala National Park opened fire at a Sri Lanka Transport Board bus plying from Moneragala to Kataragama.

The incident took place between 50 and 51 Kilometre posts on the Buttala - Kataragama road yesterday around 10.30 a.m.

Nine-year-old Mahesh and his mother Karunawathie travelling to Kataragama along with his two brothers and father were killed in this shooting. The five member family from Puwakgoda area was travelling to Kataragama to attend the Kataragama festival.

According to Kataragama Police, Tiger cadres have opened fire at the bus from the front and later from various directions when it slowed down due to fire as it had passed the 49th Kilometre post on the Buttala-Kataragama road after nearly half a kilometre past the fourth Police Post close to Galge camp.

The incident had taken place just 10 kilometres away from Kataragama town.

Several Police posts have been established along the Buttala Kataragama road following the recent incidents in and around Yala National Park. The Army is patrolling the jungle area.

According to Kataragama Police the driver had accelerated the bus despite the minor injuries caused to him from the shooting and arrived at Kataragama once he felt that the bus was under fire and passengers have been injured.

“The injured people were admitted to the Kataragama hospital soon after the bus arrived in Kataragama. Out of 25 injured four people have been discharged after being treated at the hospital,” Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told the Daily News.

The CTB bus from the Moneragala depot which was plying between Colombo and Moneragala has been extended upto Kataragama to facilitate pilgrims attending the Kataragama festival held from July 3 to 17. “This is a cowardly attack by the LTTE to disturb the ongoing Kataragama festival which has witnessed the participation of a large number of people,” the Brigadier added.

A combined cordon and search operation was launched in the area soon after the incident by the Army and the Police.