Key Karuna Group operative, 3 paramilitary cadres killed in East

A key operative of the paramilitary Karuna Group, Iniyabarathy alias Barathy, was killed Monday night when the Liberation Tigers launched a counter attack on a group of paramilitary cadres who were on an ambush mission towards Kanjikudichcha Aaru forward defence post of the Tigers, Mr. Daya Mohan, LTTE's political head in Amparai told TamilNet Tuesday. Iniyabarathy was killed with three other paramilitary cadres in the no-man zone between the Sri Lanka Army held Manthoddam and the LTTE held Kanjikudichcha Aaru, located 5 km east of Siyambalanduwa near the border of the Moneragala and Amparai Districts.

Iniyabarathy was from Kaluwankerny in Eravur, Daya Mohan said.

The three paramilitary cadres killed along with Iniyabarathy were identified by the LTTE as Mr. Suman from Sithandy, Eravur Mr. Thevan from Kaluwankerny, Eravur and Mr. Suresh from Vavunatheevu in Batticaloa.

The counter attack took place at 2:20 a.m Tuesday when a group of more than ten persons were moving towards the LTTE forward defence posts located around one kilometer from the Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) positions, he added.

The paramilitary operative Iniyabarathy was allegedly behind many abductions and killings in the east. He was also known for issuing telephone death threats, sources said.

(http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=16480)