AUGUST 1, 2007
Posted August 29, 2007
Sahadevan Nilakshan, Chaalaram, August 1, 2007, Jaffna
KILLED
Nilakshan, a 22-year-old journalism student and editor of the student-run Chaalaram magazine, was assassinated by unidentified gunmen at his home on the outskirts of Jaffna, at around 4 a.m. The shooting occurred during curfew hours in an area heavily guarded by the Sri Lankan military, according to the Colombo-based Free Media Movement. The gunmen arrived at Nilakshan’s home in Kokuvil village by motorbike.
The young journalist died within hours of being taken to the Jaffna General Hospital for treatment of his injuries.
Nilakshan studied journalism at the Media Resource Training Centre at Jaffna University. He was killed just days after returning to the northern city of Jaffna from the capital, Colombo, where he had participated in an internship program along with other journalism students.
CPJ is investigating possible motives behind the killing.