A tense situation erupted yesterday when the residents of Karadiyanaru in Batticaloa retained a Police Special Task Force officer after a shooting incident during a raid of illegal sand mining in the lagoon.
A 19-year-old youth who had jumped into the lagoon after the the STF personnel shot into the sky drowned. Another was admitted to hospital.
The residents retained an officer who they thought to have fired into the sky. He was later rescued from the captivity of the residents. However, a tense situation erupted when personnel of Police, STF and Army went to rescue the STF officer from the villagers.