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| Wednesday, 6 August 2003 |
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by Asanga Warnakulasuriya The smallest ever locally made "pen pistol" to be found in Sri Lanka, an eight-inch pistol capable of firing 9mm bullets was taken into custody by the Kadawatha Police on Monday. Police took an army deserter and another suspect into custody from Gothatuwa, who were alleged to have assembled the pistol locally. The Chief Inspector of Kadawatha Police, OIC A.S. Nalaka told the Daily News yesterday that the "pen pistol" has been made locally where the suspects had used parts (springs and etc) of a 9mm pistol in the assembling process. Police suspect that using parts of the 9mm pistol, the army deserter had developed the mechanism and the housing which was in the guise of an ink pen," OIC said. The nib of the "pen" is used to load a 9mm bullet while the separate device in the body is used as the trigger, the OIC added. The pen pistol lacks the normal range of a 9mm pistol, with an accurate range of only around 10 yards. But it can be handy if the target is in proximity, the OIC said. The pistol is said to be available for underworld criminals, roughly at a price of Rs. 10,000 each in the black market, OIC added. Although pistols of this nature are never used by armed forces in Sri Lanka, Army lecturers during the training of soldiers use "pen pistols" to demonstrate the precautionary measures that are needed to be taken in case of coming across a pen pistol used by a terrorist. It is alleged that the two suspects taken into custody are members of a gang of four responsible for stealing a cigarette consignment in Embilipitiya. Under the direction of Kadawatha Police OIC, A.S.Nalaka, SI Jayasantha, PC 16512, PC 2287, PC 8864 and PC 30752 are investigations are being held to nab the other two suspects still at large. |
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