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Sunday, December 25, 2011

British tourist killed on Christmas eve

The couple was attacked as they attended the Christmas dinner dance at The Nature Tangalle 
Journalists in the southern Sri Lankan town of Tangalle have received death threats following their coverage of an attack on a tourist couple at a holiday resort.


Police said they have identified all suspects of the attack in which a British national was killed and his friend, a Russian national, sustained injuries.

The victim Kuram Shaikah Zaman, a British national of Israeli origin, is an ICRC volunteer working in the Gaza strip.

Police spokesman SP Ajith Rohana told BBC Sandeshaya that the post-mortem conducted at Matara hospital was told that the victim has died as a result of being attacked by a sharp weapon and he was also shot at, he said.

British, Russian nationals


"It was the assault by the sharp weapon that has caused his death," said SP Ajith Rohana.

Eyewitness said Tangalle Pradesheeya Sabha chairman, Sampath Vidanapathirana, was seen having a row with the couple prior to the attack at Nature restaurant in Medilla.

"Police will arrest all suspects who have been identified," said SP Ajith Rohana who declined to reveal the names of suspects.

Victoria Alexandrovna, 23, is being treated in Karapitiya hospital, Galle at the intensive care unit.

Sunil Jayasekara, convenor of Free Media Movement told BBC Sandeshaya that journalists in the area have received threats after reporting the incident.

 BBCSandeshaya