By Senaka de Silva

Tension gripped Batticaloa district yesterday following the slaying of at least 10 people the previous night with Parliamentarian Karuna Amman claiming a majority of those killed were supporters of his political party.

The retired Grama Niladari of Eluvil, his wife and son were shot dead by unidentified gunmen on Tuesday night, police said adding that the killers had stormed the house and shot the victims at point blank range.

The victims, Ramathambi Kuduvel, his wife Ramathambi Sivana and son Kuduvel Sivendaran were killed on the spot. In another incident a young man was shot dead near the Murugan Hindu temple in Kalawanchikudy by an unidentified gunman riding on a motorcycle. In yet another incident in Kallady, the father, mother and two daughters were shot and killed by unidentified persons on Tuesday night.

The victims were identified as Kanapathypillai Vinayagamoorthy (47), Kanapathypillai Kalrani (34) Vinayagamoorthy Thanuja (17) and Vinayagamoorthy

Darshanee (14) Kalawanchikudy police are conducting inquiries into the incidents..

Meanwhile in Karadiyanaru a man was shot dead by unidentified gunmen also on the same night. The victim who was identified as T.M.Ganeshalingam (25) was shot through an open window. Karadiyanaru police are conducting further inquiries.

Also on Tuesday night a three-wheeler driver was shot dead in Kattankudy by an unidentified gunman riding on a motorcycle. The victim Ramachdarandeepan (28) died on the spot and his body was taken to the hospital mortuary pending further inquiries.

Kattankudy police are conducting investigations.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror following the multiple killings, Parliamentarian Karuna Amman said he had visited Batticaloa yesterday and made funeral arrangements for the victims. He added that certain areas of Batticaloa had come to a standstill yesterday as a result of the killings.

Most of those who were killed are TMVP members. I am looking into the situation, Karuna Amman said.

Several TMVP members have been killed in the East over the past few weeks by suspected LTTE cadres who had infiltrated the outfit.