New Delhi, Feb 4 : Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss has expressed concern over the killing of Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka.

He told reporters here on Tuesday that incidents such as self-immolation, which took place in Tamil Nadu, should not be encouraged, while at the same time the sentiments of the people should be taken into consideration.

"It is extreme form of protest. They shouldn''t be encouraged at all. But nevertheless, the sentiments of people have to be taken into context. There was a bombing of hospital where nearly about ten to fifteen people have died and children have been killed. These things have to be considered," he said.

A young man in Tamil Nadu died recently immolated outside Government offices with a jar of kerosene to protest against Sri Lanka''s military offensive against Tamil Tigers.

Meanwhile, the United States, European Union, Japan and Norway have urged Sri Lanka''s Tamil Tigers rebels to consider surrendering to avoid more deaths since thousands of civilians are trapped in the war zone.

The call for the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to discuss a surrender came as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said civilians were fleeing a hospital that had been shelled for a fifth time in three days. (ANI)