Uruthirapuram is about four kilometres from Kilinochchi town and even in late October when the attack took place the Uruthirapuram Sivanagar Government Tamil Mixed School was still functioning with an enrolment of 350 students. People who had recently displaced returned frequently to remove their possessions. This settlement was hit by shelling on 24 October. The location of the attack is shown in the map which depicts the density of civilian institutions in the area. A father and his adult son were killed in this attack. Sathananthan, son and brother of the two victims says,
“We displaced from our home in Kilinochchi two weeks ago due to constant shelling. However, we go back to our home sometimes to bring our remaining possessions. Our father is also the president of the temple committee of the temple near our home. On that day all three of us with other members of the committee went and we had just loaded a tractor-trailer with some of our things and some of the temple property. My father and my brother were following the tractor on a motorbike. We were staying back at our home for a little longer. My father warned us before leaving to be careful because the shelling was heavy. Tragically it was they who were killed by the shelling. This is my brother’s two year old child”.
Names of victims (name, age)
1. Ramalingam Vijayanathan, 32
2. Sinnaih Ramalingam, 68
