Soldier shot dead in Sri Lanka's East by a former LTTE leader

July 04, Colombo: A soldier was killed when he tried to capture a former LTTE member in Batticaloa today, but later the LTTE suspect was captured, the army said.

They said that in the early hours of today a soldier on duty by the side of the beach in Batticaloa spotted a boat moving in the sea. When the soldier was about to capture him, the man, identified as a former LTTE leader for Batticaloa, suddenly grabbed the soldier's weapon and fired at the soldier.

Two more soldiers in close proximity ran to the place also came under the Tiger cadre's fire but managed to overpower the LTTE cadre after shooting at him.

Police rushed to the scene and took the LTTE leader with gun-shot injuries into custody.

An intensified conducted by the troops on the LTTE cadre's belongings recovered four passport photographs, one Identity Card, one cyanide capsule and Rs. 16,500 in cash.