Colombo: Sri Lankan President Mahinda
Rajapaksa has ordered a full scale investigation into the
murderous assault on an ethnic Tamil journalist in Jaffna.
Gnanasundaram Kuhanathan, 58, news editor of the Uthayan,
Jaffna's leading newspaper was brutally attacked on Friday
when he was returning home after work.
Rajapaksa ordered the police chief NK Ilangakoon to
submit him with a report, presidential officials said.
'Uthayan' a pro-Tamil nationalist newspaper seen as
close to the LTTE when they were holding sway in the north had
been through many attacks of this nature during the last five
years.
At least six workers at the Jaffna-based Uthayan
newspaper, including four journalists, have been killed since
2006 over its alleged pro-nationalist Tamil stance.
Jaffna hospital sources said Kuhanathan had suffered
severe head injuries and was being treated at the intensive
care unit as a result of being attacked with iron rods.
An iron rod had pierced a hole of three inches in his
head area, doctors said.
The New York based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
has condemned the attack.
"We are deeply concerned about Mr Kuhanathan and hope
for his speedy recovery", a statement said.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, July 31, 2011, 14:11