Colombo (IANS): A top member of Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP), a breakaway group of the Tamil Tigers, was shot dead along with his driver on Friday by unidentified gunmen in the outskirts of Colombo. Attacks on TMVP members are on the rise in the eastern province, a military official here said.

According to military spokesman, Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, the unidentified gunmen shot dead a secretary to the chief minister of the Eastern Province, at Athurugiriya located about 15 km east of Colombo, while he was travelling in a car with his driver.

The TMVP member, identified as Kumaraswami Nandagopan alias Ragu and his driver were found dead inside the car and the Athurugiriya Police is conducting further inquiries into the attack.

According to media reports, Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesadurai Chandrakanthan, alias Pillaiyan along with a senior provincial minister have visited the scene of crime.

Two more TMVP activists were killed on Thursday night in another attack in the eastern Batticaloa district.

The TMVP, a breakaway faction of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), has faced continued attacks in the Eastern Province, especially after its leader Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan alias Karuna, was appointed as a parliamentarian of the Rajapaksa government last month.

According to reports nearly 20 TMVP members have been killed in the recent past due to such attacks.