Suicide before surrender

Colombo (Reuter) - Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger guerrillas said yesterday one of their leaders committed suicide in an explosion on board his ship rather than surrender to the Indian navy. 'The Tamil Tiger radio in northern Sri Lanka has announced Sathasivam Krishnakumar, alias Kittu, has been killed and the rebels are paying homage to him,' a leader of a rival Tamil group said.

Kittu had died a 'heroic death' on board his vessel when it was intercepted by the Indian navy, he said quoting the rebels' radio station.