Sri Lanka scholars protest killing of two students

Students in northern Sri Lanka on Monday launched a protest and submitted a petition to the government over the death of two university students in Jaffna town last week.

The students gathered opposite the Jaffna Government Agent's office and handed over a petition to President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Xinhua news agency reported.

Students in Kilinochchi town also launched a protest and demanded justice over the killing of the two Jaffna university students.

Northern Provincial Council member M.K. Sivajilingham said there was a feeling that state-sponsored terrorism was behind the killing.

Sirisena last week called for an impartial investigation into the death of the two youths.

Sri Lanka's Criminal Investigation Division is probing the deaths.

The two youths were shot dead by the police after they reportedly failed to stop when ordered to do so.

Five police officers were arrested over the incident. They were immediately interdicted and remanded by court.

The government said necessary steps have been taken to ensure that the law is fully implemented with regard to the incident.

--IANS

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