Leading Sri Lanka Tamil MP killed

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A leading Tamil member of the Sri Lankan parliament, T Maheswaran, has been shot dead at a Hindu temple in the capital, Colombo, officials said.

Mr Maheswaran, a former minister and member of the opposition United National Party, was shot by unknown attackers and died in hospital.

He was critical of the government's policy towards the Tamil minority.

Sri Lanka has been ravaged by conflict between the Sinhala Buddhist majority and the Hindu Tamils.

Mr Maheswaran, 41, died while undergoing intensive medical treatment around 1035 local time (0505 GMT), hospital sources said.

"The government had reduced his security after he was being critical of the government and the president, so the government should be held responsible for his killing," UNP general Secretary Tissa Attanayake told Reuters news agency.