6.2.2008

Rajarathnem's mother crying for her son Rajarathnem Radeeswaran (Right) as a relative looks on. Image Courtesy: Sudath Nishantha

Among the seven students of D. S. Senananayake College, Colombo killed in the LTTE attack at the Fort Railway Station on Sunday was Rajarathnem Radeeswaran of Dematagoda, a Tamil student in the Ordinary Level class.

According to the Tamil community in the area, Radeeswaran was popular among the youth in addition to being a talented baseball player. He had to pay with his life, to an organisation claiming to be the very guardians of the community he represented, residents said.

Seven students and their baseball coach, were among the dead in Sunday's blast, which claimed 14 lives.

The baseball players and their coach were returning to Colombo after participating in a club match in Kandy the previous day, sources said.

According to the sources, six students who participated in the match returned the previous day while others stayed back to visit historic sights in and around Kandy. The other victims are Kolitha Kumara Mahamudalige, 19, of Hokandara-A/L 2007, Vimukthi Thewarapperuma, 18, of Kalutara North-A/L maths, Supun Hallala, 16, of Angoda-A/L Commerce, Dinuth Priyasanka of Agalawatta, 17, After O/L, Thiwanka Thisera, 17, of Dehiwela-A/L Arts.

Eranda Chaturanga, 21, of Colombo 7-After A/L and Nalinda Arumadura, 26, of Gandara-Baseball Coach.