Quick Look

Prime Minister D M Jayaratne participating in a Hindu Puja at the Sri Muttumari Amman Kovil, Gampola on Monday as part of all religious ceremonies held in Gampola to mark the 60th anniversary of the SLFP and invoke blessings on the President and the government.

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Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena hands over a set of medical equipment to a doctor after opening the new building complex at the Polonnaruwa Hospital at a cost of Rs. 10 million. Medical equipment worth eight million rupees was distributed among state hospitals in Polonnaruwa.

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Pakistan Armed Forces Defence Day was celebrated at Galadari Hotel yesterday with the participation of Pakistan Minister of Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Pakistani High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Ms Seema Ilahi Baloch, Sri Lanka’s three Forces commanders Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasooriya, Air Marshal Harsha Jayakody, Vice Admiral Somathilaka Dissanayake and Pakistan Defence Advisor for Sri Lanka and Maldives Colonel Sheharyar Parvez Butt. Here both countries’ military leaders are cutting a cake to mark Pakistan Armed Forces Defence Day. Pix by Lalith C. Gamage

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Sand stolen from beach to repair house

Kapila SOMARATHNE-Panadura Group Corr.

A police officer arrested a person who was transporting a bag of sand
without permit from the Panadura Pinwatta beach to repair his house. The
accused pleaded guilty to the charge when he was produced before Court.

The accused, Gayan Kapila Kumara was fined Rs 500 by Magistrate R S A
Dissanayake.

Fire in teak plantation doused

A fire which erupted in a teak plantation on the Inamaluwa Habarana
road between the 99 and 100 km posts around noon on Monday was doused by
the Sigiriya Police with the assistance of the Dambulla fire unit, the
Navy and Air Force. Police said only the teak leaves have been burnt
leaving the barks of trees intact. Investigations are continuing.

Goda seized

Officers of the Walana Central Vice Squad seized 50 barrels of goda
used in distilling kasippu and arrested one suspect during a raid
conducted in the Muthurajawela swamp recently.

The suspect and the seized items were handed over to Pamunugama
Police.

Drug dealer nabbed with heroin haul at bus stop

Wehelle PIYATHILAKE-Maharagama special corr

A heroin addict with 47 packets of heroin was nabbed at the Kottawa
bus stand while trying to sell the drugs. Police nabbed the suspect
following a public tip-off.

The suspect had received the heroin from a dealer in Borella, police
said.

The suspect produced before the Homagama Magistrate was remanded.

Three shops burgled

Indika POLKOTUWA

Thieves broke into three shops in Kandy town on Sunday night and
stolen cash and goods valued at nearly Rs 1 million.

The three shops include a textile sales centre at D S Senanayake
Vidiya, umbrella sales outlet at Yatinuwara Vidiya and a beauty parlour
on Kandy Peradeniya road.

Kandy police are investigating.

Pigeon costs boy’s life

A 12-year-old boy named Dawundage Dewsara Chathuranga of the
Minuwangoda housing scheme died of electrocution when he climbed to an
electric post to catch a pigeon resting on a transmission line around 2
pm on Monday.

A verdict of accidental death due to electrocution was returned at
the inquest into the death held at the Minuwangoda hospital.

Minuwangoda Police are investigating.

Raid discovers cannabis plantation

Indika POLLKOTUWA

Officers attached to the Kandy special excise operations unit raided
a six acre cannabis plantation in Sooriyara, Thanamalwila and siezed a
stock of cannabis with a street value of nearly Rs. 1.5 million on
Sunday and arrested four suspects. They also destroyed nearly 18,000
lush cannabis plants during the raid. Investigations are continuing.

Navy recovers detonators

Naval troops attached to SLNS Pussadeewa of the North Central Naval
Command recovered a haul of detonators and safety fuses at Vankalai in
Mannar on September 4.

A group of Naval personnel on beach patrol in Vankalai found 13
detonators of which five were with safety fuses.

The detonators and safety fuses are believed to be used for illegal
fishing activities in the area. The Navy maintains strict vigilance in
the coastal areas to prevent illegal activities.

The police team with the galkatas found during the raid

Illicit brew seized

Priyadarshani KAHAWALA- Ingiriya central group

A large stock of illicit brew was seized and two suspects were taken
into custody by the Ingiriya police after raiding an illegal brewery in
a forest at Handapangoda, Kura Uda, Kaluwala area. They also found a
firearm and galkatas which set off a trap when police arrived. The
policemen who went ahead of the team had noticed it which prevented a
fatality. Police arrested a 60-year-old suspect who was involved in
setting the trap.

The police also arrested a suspect who was involved in manufacturing
goda, and seized 1,920 drams of goda.

Illegal gem miners netted

Yasarathne GAMAGE

A STF member with a water pump sized by them

Horana STF took into custody two teams engaged in illegal gem mining
in the Kiriella police area at Jaya Lanka Thotupala, Kalu Ganga on
Monday evening.

ASP W M K S Padiwita directed the raid while CIK Senaviratne and a
team arrested five persons and seized a stock of equipment including
compressors and water pumps.

The suspects and the goods were handed over to Ingiriya police for
further investigations.

Appeal

Dushanthani

 

 

Anbalagan Dushanthani, 7 of Gemunu Mawatha, Nuwara Eliya is suffering
from hearing impairment. She has been recommended an urgent Cochlear
Implant Surgery which is estimated to cost Rs 1.7-2.5 million by ENT
surgeon of the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Specialized Children Hospital
Peradeniya Dr. H M S B Etulgama.

The child’s parents say that they
cannot meet this expense, and seek public assistance. Donations could be
sent to Account No. 8340023823 of Commercial Bank, Nuwara Eliya.

Death of Priyantha Wattegama

A social worker and Old Anandian Priyantha Wattegama of 2/1-D,
Udahamulla road, Galwana, passed away. He was a member of the 81-82
batch of the Ananda College Old Boys Association and was 49 years at the
time of death. The funeral will take place today at the Udahamulla
cemetery.

Money cheat attacked

Puttalam District Roving Corr

A person who has obtained Rs 7,00,000 from a young woman and Rs
2,800,000 from four others promising them that they will be sent to
London for employment was attacked by these persons, for avoiding them
after obtaining the money.

He was evading courts for seven years.

Seven transporting venison nabbed

Bandula Gunasekara and T.K. Ariyadasa -Malimbada
Group Corr.

Seven suspects who killed a deer and transported venison in a van
were nabbed by wildlife officers at Gonnoruwa, Hambantota on Saturday
night. The wildlife officers also took into custody a gun and a torch
used for hunting deer.

The suspects are to be produced before the Hambantota Magistrate’s
Courts.

STF saves man from drowning

STF life guards in Arugambe rescued a person who was caught in the
currents while bathing in the sea.

Police said that M Hanipa Bazir of Pottuvil was dragged along 300
metres into the sea when he was rescued.

After giving first aid, he was handed over to his relations.

Memorial lecture

The LS de Silva 15th memorial lecture, organized by the Chartered
Institute of Logistics & Transport, Sri Lanka (CILTSL) will be held on
September 14 at 5.30 pm at the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka
auditorium, 120/15, Wijerama Mawatha, Colombo 8. Tertiary and Vocational
Education Commission Chairman Professor Dayantha S Wijesekera will
deliver this year’s lecture on ‘Meeting the challenges of knowledge
transfer in the transport sector’.

Eye clinic

A three-day eye clinic will be held at the Kahawatta Base Hospital on
September 8, 9, 10. Cataract operations and implanting of cataract
lenses will be performed on about 2,000 patients by Consultant Eye
Surgeon of the Vijaya Kumaratunga Memorial Hospital, Seeduwa, Dr
Shamintha Amaratunga.