Chief priest fired at by SLA gun succumbs to injuries

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 December 2010, 20:15 GMT]
The chief priest of Changkaanai Murukamoorthy temple, Nithiyananda Sharma, 56, fatally fired at in a robbery in the temple last week, died in the hospital Wednesday. The gun used in the firing belongs to the SLA, admits SLA military commander for Jaffna, Maj. General Mahinda Hathurusinghe. Briefing media in Jaffna, he said that two former LTTE members working closely with the SLA were responsible for the firing. But independent sources in Jaffna said that the two accused belong to the military intelligence of SLA. There were three who were involved in the firing cum robbery incident, according to witnesses.

SLA General Hathurusinghe, who was awarded Guci ‘Peace Prize’ in Philippines, which SLA military websites said Asian equivalent to Nobel Peace Prize, met media in Jaffna after returning from Philippines.

Some former LTTE members provide supplies including drugs to the SLA in Jaffna and hire guns for robberies and intimidations, accused Hathurusinghe while briefing media. The two arrested are being investigated, he said. TamilNet on Tuesday came out with news on what the SLA intelligence aims at in Jaffna by leaking stories.

The two sons of Nithiyananda Sharma, who were also critically injured when they went to the help of their father, continue with intensive care treatment in the Jaffna teaching hospital.

Chronology: