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Looters tunnel under Tivanka Pilimage Treasure hunters have destroyed the foundation of an ancient stupa within the world famous historic ‘Thivanka Pilimage’ (Image House) site in Polonnaruwa last Friday, police said. The treasure hunters had dug a 30 feet deep pit at the site of the foundation. It’s not known whether they had removed any treasures from this stupa built by King Parakramabahu 1.Thivanka Pilimage, also known as Northern Temple was once part of the Uttararama Vihara complex. It was just under a fortnight back that treasure hunters removed the five priceless guardstones of the 2000 year old Watadage in Medirigiriya. Police suspect that a well organised gang is behind the continuing trend of plundering historic archaeological sites and artefacts. Meanwhile Aralanganwila police rounded up a gang while they were digging an ancient site at Magulpokuna in Dimbulagala early Friday.The nine-member gang had in their possession instruments required for the task.The men were produced before Polonnaruwa Magistrate, Mrs. Kema Swarnadhipathi who remanded the suspects till September 18. The site they had dug was the foundation of a dagoba. It’s chronicled that seven trays of gold had been deposited there by an ancient king. The gang had dug a five metre deep pit at the time they were intercepted,police said. The raid was conducted by a team led by OIC Duminda Senanayake and comprising SI Skanda Kumara, RPS Duminda,RPCs Palitha, Nimal, Jayasinghe, Ajith and home guard Neville under the directions of SSP S. M. Wickremasinghe. Two soldiers, five Tigers killed Two soldiers died and two were wounded in a claymore mine explosion Saturday night at Kanakarayankulam security sources said. In separate engagements elsewhere in the northern province same day troops killed five terrorists. Troops conducting clearing operations in the general area of Mankulam recovered 23 anti-personnel mines. Sri Lankan carrying Rs. 54m worth heroin
arrested at Madurai airport A Colombo bound Sri Lankan carrying 27 kgs of heroin worth approximately 54 million rupees had been arrested by Indian authorities at Madurai airport several days ago, Sri Lankan police officials said yesterday."We have asked for details," a officer said adding that the detection was perhaps one of the biggest in the recent past. Initial investigations have revealed that the 34 year suspect had left Colombo on August 24.He had first arrived in Bombay.From there he had travelled to Ahmedabad before returning to Bombay. Officials from the Central Intelligence Unit[Indian Customs] had arrested the suspect when he arrived in Madurai from Bombay. Police said that the suspect was to leave for Bandaranaike International Airport[BIA] when the arrest was made.Police said that the suspect may have used one or more forged passports. Police Narcotics Bureau [PNB] has sought further details from Indian authorities."We are trying to identify the people in Colombo who have financed the deal," a police officer said.He said that the seized quantity of heroin clearly indicates that very powerful people were involved in the deal. Investigators are expected to probe the possibility of whether the LTTE was involved.Both police and Foreign Ministry officials have repeatedly said that LTTE was also involved in narcotics trade to fund their war against the government. Police said that Indian authorities co operate with them in anti-narcotics operations."They probably recover more heroin on way to Sri Lanka market than us," police said admitting that despite ongoing Indo-Lanka operations, those involved in the booming narcotics trade continue to smuggle in "stuff’. Amnesty wants president to probe illicit
torture camps Amnesty International in a letter addressed to President, Chandrika Kumaratunga had stated that it had definite information to the effect that political organisations, PLOTE and TELO were maintaining three torture chambers in Vavuniya and added that the number of such torture chambers may even be ten. Amnesty International as such requested the President to take immediate steps to investigate whether such torture chambers exist and to bring such culprit organisations to book, if they exist. Also the AI request compensation be paid to persons forcibly held in these torture chambers. Meanwhile an EPRLF cadre had committed suicide last Saturday (05) night by shooting himself at the EPRLF office. He had been identified as one Dayabaran. Vavuniya police is carrying out further investigations. Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization has denied Amnesty International claims that it operates unauthorised places of detention in North-East Sri Lanka. In a message to AI, TELO says "I on behalf of the central committee of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation wish to inform you that your organisation, in its letter to the Sri Lankan government to appeal for an immediate halt to the use of unauthorised places of detention, has stated, without any substantial proof that there are detention camps run by TELO in various places in the district of Vauuniya. Our central committee registers its strong opposition with your organisation, in no unmistaken terms to draw TELO in this connection, controversy and confusion. Our central committee also denies in unequivocal terms the existence of such detention camps run by our organisation in Vavuniya or elsewhere in the North-East of Sri Lanka. The TELO camps that you have mentioned in your letter to Her Excellency The President of Sri Lanka as detention camps are nothing but the camps where we house our cadre for the security of our organisations and these camps function as places where the members of the public come daily to solve their problems. These are places where we help the members of the public to overcome their day to day difficulties caused by the unending war. Therefore we earnestly request you to correct your position and if necessary send some one to verify the whole truth to assure yourself. Foreign Ministry official caught with two
passports of Tamils on the mat Disciplinary action has been instituted against the Foreign Ministry official who was arrested by the CID at Bandaranaike International Airport for allegedly having in his possession two passports belonging to outsiders, officials sources said. He was taken into custody before emplaning to take up a posting in the Sri Lankan mission in Netherlands. "He has been interdicted" sources said. Meanwhile the arrested Foreign Ministry official had been produced before courts and remanded till September 18. Inspector General of Police Lucky Kodituwakku told ‘The Island’ that police are probing whether there was a secret deal to bring down to Sri Lanka LTTE leaders in foreign countries and he was seeking the assistance of Interpol in this regard. Passports smuggled out of the country find their way to the hands of LTTE, the IGP said. Defence Ministry tightens grip In a bid to increase Defence Ministry’s hold on respective departments in the armed forces and police, engaged in acquiring arms, ammunition, communication equipment and other supplies, the Defence Ministry has taken over the registration of suppliers, authoritative security sources said yesterday. Defence Ministry recently directed armed forces and Police Department to cease the practice of registering both suppliers and also renewal of registration of supplies and services. On the orders of the ministry, the police had been compelled to cancel advertisements which announced the registration of suppliers for next year. According to advertisements placed on August 8 and 9, police have announced that those who wanted to register should collect application forms from Director [Logistics]/Supplies. "Applications were to close on October 10," sources said. However in view of the new directive, the department was compelled to cancel the advertisements. Police officials said that Defence Ministry will shortly place advertisements to select suppliers for police and armed forces. Some believe that the government directive was aimed at bringing the entire process of acquisition of arms, ammunition and other equipment under the arm of the Defence Ministry. Officers privately admit that controversy surrounds some arms deals involving both locals and foreigners. Every year billions of rupees worth of arms, ammunition and equipment reach Colombo from different parts of the world, sources said adding that there was evidence to suggest that tighter controls were necessary. According to the advertisements placed by the police, the department has divided supplies to six different groups. Supplies included purchase of horses, equipment for horses, purchase of dogs, kennel vans, communication equipment, computers,arms, ammunition, anti-riot equipment, spares for arms, fingerprint equip-ment and fingerprint material. Sources said that changes effected in the acquisition of supplies were part of the government initiated action to control shady deals. Copy of paper sold at Rs. 1 lakh Nine persons have been taken in for questioning by Akkaraipattu police in connection with the alleged leakage of question papers of A/L examination held recently. According to police sources, investigations had revealed the leakage of Accountancy Paper 1 and 2. A copy of the question paper was sent from Colombo for rupees one lakh and a photo copy of it was sold for Rs. 10,000 within the Kalmunai Education Zone, it’s alleged. Police are grilling the suspects to ascertain the alleged involvement of officials of the Examination Department. The investigation has led to important information and the leaked question paper is now in the hands of the police. A few more persons are expected to be arrested in a few days according to police. Akkaraipattu Police are investigating on the instructions of SSP Lafir. Teachers and students of schools here have petitioned the Education Minister and the President requesting them to make arrangements to hold these papers afresh and not to allow room for any repetition of incidents of this nature. Ambulances travel distance shortened by 35 miles A road extending from the 8th mile post in Vavuniya to the uncleared area of Thunnukai through Puvarasankulam will open today, government sources in Vavuniya told ‘The Island’. The road had not been used since 1990, the sources said. From today, it will be utilised by NGO vehicles and ambulances. The decision to reopen it was taken after all concerned parties in both cleared and uncleared areas came to the understanding that it would help alleviate the suffering of patients in the Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts. The gravel road has been developed at a cost of more than four million rupees. The road extends into the uncleared areas, as only a relatively small stretch after the town of Puvarasankulam has been cleared, the sources said. They explained that ambulances attached to medical institutions in the Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts will transport patients on this road. Sri Lanka Red Cross ambulances will also use the route. Earlier, all ambulances from these districts came to Vavuniya through the Madhu road junction. The journey was tedious and time consuming. According to the government sources, the new road will reduce the distance required to be taken by ambulances by about 35 miles. (NW) Nine die of cholera in Polonnaruwa Nine persons have died and over 100 others hospitalised so far as the threat of cholera has raised its head again in the Polonnaruwa and Puttalam districts. All leave of staff in the government health sector in the region has been cancelled as the epidemic is showing signs of reaching alarming proportions, medical sources said. Five of the victims were from Polonnaruwa district, while balance four were from Puttalam, according to reports. Thirty eight patients with a history of cholera were admitted to the Polonnaruwa hospital alone during the past four days. Of the five who died, two were transferred to Polonnaruwa hospital from Dehiattakandiya and Welikanda rural hospitals. ‘They were in an acute dehydrated condition at the time of admission’, Dr. L. P. S. Jayaweera, DMO, Polonnaruwa base hospital told ‘The Island’ yesterday. He said stool samples of these patients were sent to the Medical Research Institute (MRI) for examination and report. Though it usually takes about a week for a feedback we were able to obtain a report faster due to the urgency of the situation, the DMO said. He said the stools of the patients were watery and were akin to diarrhoea. More than 40 patients suspected of cholera have been admitted to Welikanda rural hospital by yesterday. Most of them were Muslims from Ethugala and Katuwanwila refugee camps. In addition to this over 10 patients have been admitted to Bakamuna, Attanakadawala, Hingurakgoda and Manampitiya hospitals, medical sources said. Of those under hospitalisation 22 positive cases have been identified. (18 in Polonnaruwa and 4 in Puttalam). Meanwhile, the special baby care unit of the Polonnaruwa hospital was closed for fumigation as it’s suspected that it had been contaminated. This follows the death of a premature infant in this unit last week. The victim infant had been suffering from septicemia, these sources said. The maternity ward also remains closed for fumigation following suspicions of bacterial contamination. Stringent measures to stop drug menace inside
prison KANDY: The authorities have taken stringent measures to curb the drug menace within the Bogambara prison. In a recent raid conducted by prison officers a large quantity of cannabis (ganja) was detected inside the prison but those responsible for smuggling in the drugs could not be traced at that time. In a subsequent search a convicted prisoner serving a life term was caught having in his possession 190 milligrams of heroin and an other prisoner serving a jail term convicted of possessing drug was caught with 90 milligram of heroin. The two convicts were produced before Kandy Chief Magistrate Mrs. D. C. Mirinchiarachchi who imposed a term 2 years RI on the prisoner serving the life term Padmasiri while the other named Chandrasiri was fined Rs. 20,000 or a jail term of 12 months in default. The raids were conducted by the Chief Jailor of Bogambara, Prison J. L. Upali with the assistance of a group of his colleagues. New action programme from today at Industries Ministry S-5, a programme to revitalise the working of the Ministry of Industrial Development will be launched within the ministry from today (7) to October 16. This programme aims at eliminating all meaningless actions and introduce a new approach with the intention of enhancing the efficiency and dedication in the field of production, stated a Ministry of Industrial Development news communique. Baithulmal Fund trains girls in sewing An award ceremony to hand over 40 certificates to sewing and embroidery school girls was held at the Ceylon Baithulmal Fund Auditorium last week. Justice M. Jameel, President presided. The girls and their parents were addressed by the President and M. Lafir Cassim, a senior member of the committee of management. Certificates were thereafter handed over by the President and M. T. M. Hamza (treasurer). These girls who have undergone six months training by experienced teachers are assured of jobs as the certificates they hold, are well recognised. Two new machines donated by M/S Amana Investments Limited were gifted to the most outstanding girls in sewing and embroidery selected by the two respective teachers. President handed over one machine and other was by Ismail Marikar the donor. Programme of training to unmarried girls comes under the re-habilitation of less fortunate girls programme and this was started in 1990. Eighty girls are trained every year both in sewing and embroidery. It is very heartening to note that most of these trained girls have found jobs in textile factories and they earn around Rs. 3,000/- per month said S. S. Issadeen, Secretary General. Garment factory at Welikada prison Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris will open a mini garment factory cum-training centre set up by Tri Star Apparel Exports at the Welikada prison premises at 10 a.m. today. The factory set up by chairman of Tri Star, Desabandu Kumar Dewapura at the invitation of the Commissioner General of Prisons K. W. E. Karalliyadda comprises 40 machines of different types. It is intended to train inmates of Welikada prison in the garment manufacturing technology so that they could be gainfully employed when they are released from prison. Minister Peiris is also expected to open a Prison Produce Sales Centre at the entrance to the Welikada Prison on this day. Internal and International Trade, Commerce and Food Minister Kingsley Wickremaratne will open a CWE franchise shop at the same premises on the occasion. |
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