Disabled female Tiger blows herself up as attempt to kill Minister
fails
Rafik Jalaldeen
|
Minister Douglas Devananda |
A disabled female LTTE suicide bomber targeting Eelam People’s
Democratic Party (EPDP) leader and Social Services Minister Douglas
Devananda blew herself up when her attempt to assassinate the Minister
was foiled, police said.
The woman blew herself near the Ministry’s Public Relations Office at
Narahenpita around 8.05 am killing the Public Relations Officer and
injuring two other Ministerial Security Guards, police spokesman Senior
DIG Jayantha Wickramaratne said.
The LTTE suicide cadre had entered the Ministry with other public who
had appointments to meet Devananda.
“The woman after submitting her ID at the Public Relations Office was
subjected to a body search before meeting the Minister. While she was
being searched she blew herself up on the spot.”
The ministry’s Public Relations officer Steven Peries, 72, succumbed
to his injuries. “Three persons injured in the blast were admitted to
hospital around 8.30 am.
Two were in critical condition. One succumbed to his injuries on
admission while another is being treated at the ICU. The other sustained
minor injuries,” General Hospital Director Dr. Hector Weerasinghe said.
|
The interior of the Welfare and Social Development Ministry
following yesterday’s explosion. |
The injured are K. Chitran, a member of the EPDP and K.D.N. Ashoka, a
Security Guard of the Minister.
This is the 11th assassination attempt on Devananda.
“The LTTE has made several attempts to assassinate Minister Douglas
Devananda. We condemn the Tigers’ attempt to kill Tamil leaders,”
Ministry Media Secretary Nelson Edirisinghe told the Daily News.
He said the Minister meets the public every Wednesday to discuss
their grievances and provides assistance. “More than 10 persons were
waiting to meet the Minister and the Tiger female suicide cadre,
believed to be a polio victim, took her turn to meet the Minister.
After submitting her ID card and while being checked she blew
herself,” he added.
The disabled LTTE suicide cadre was in saree, Military spokesman
Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.
He said the LTTE was targeting Tamil leaders and civilians by using
disabled females.
“The LTTE claims to be freedom fighters and represent the Tamil
people. Despite their claim, the LTTE is assassinating Tamil democratic
leaders representing the Tamil community and killing Tamil civilians,”
Brigadier Nanayakkara added.
The woman has been identified as Vegavanam Sujatha, a resident of
Puliyankulam, Vavuniya and was born in 1983, DIG Wickremaratne said. |
