The Police and the military are investigating the possibility of the LTTE taking cover in the Jaffna University, after a chance encounter between troops and two youth on Saturday afternoon caused the death of two suspects who carried student identity cards purportedly issued by the University.

One of them took cyanide when troops on routine foot patrol at Ariyalai, a suburb of Jaffna detained him along with another person, an army official said. He said that troops had shot dead his companion as he made an attempt to get away.

The person who took cyanide carried a Jaffna University identity card (Reg. No 2003 A/85), which identified him as Sellathurai Purusothaman of Kaithady (north), of the Arts Faculty though its authenticity still remained to be proved, the official said.

The other LTTE cadre carried an ID which identified him as Sivagnanalingham Varnaathithan of Aliyavali, Thaleadi of the Medical Faculty. Troops recovered a 9mm micro pistol along with his body.

The army handed over the bodies to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital.