Minister Sirisena escapes suicide blast
Rafik JALALDEEN
Deputy Minister Siripala Gamlath and newly appointed Ministry
Secretary Ranjith Wijethilaka were among the injured
COLOMBO: Agriculture Development and Agrarian Services
Development Minister Maithripala Sirisena narrowly escaped an LTTE
attempt on his life yesterday afternoon in Pirivena junction,
Boralesgamuwa.
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Minister Maithripala Sirisena |
A female suicide terrorist blew herself targeting Minister Sirisena’s
motorcade at Pirivena junction around 1.15 p.m. when the Minister was
returning after a Government function in Bandaragama, Military spokesman
Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.
The Minister escaped unharmed and one of the cars in the convoy was
caught in the suicide attack. “A civilian was killed and five others
injured including Deputy Minister Siripala Gamlath and newly appointed
Ministry Secretary Ranjith Wijethilaka,” he added.
“Wijethilaka had taken oaths today in the presence of Minister
Sirisena before the suicide blast,” Ministry sources said.
According to sources at Kalubowila hospital, five persons were
admitted to the hospital immediately after the bomb blast. The Deputy
Minister and the Ministry Secretary had been transferred to the Colombo
National Hospital later.
Deputy Director of the Colombo National Hospital Dr. Anil Jasinghe
told the Daily News that three injured persons had been brought to the
CNH including Ministry Secretary Wijeyathilaka and two others. One
succumbed to his injuries on admission to hospital.
“Ministry’s Secretary Wijethilaka who is seriously injured in the
blast was treated at the ICU and the third victim Ananda Withanage had
undergone brain surgery,” he added.
Two of the Minister’s vehicles and several other vehicles were
damaged in the incident.
“The minister’s convoy vehicle bearing the number KB-0935 caught in
the blast was badly damaged and several other vehicles in the vicinity
were also damaged,” police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekera said. He
said police beefed up security and a subsequent search operation was
launched in the area. “Four police teams were deployed to conduct a full
scale of investigation,” he added.
The Government Analyst had visited the scene.
He however declined to reveal the weight of the explosives used by
the Tiger suicide cadre as it was early to ascertain the degree of
explosives.
Minister Sirisena earlier escaped an LTTE suicide attempt on his life
in Modera on March 1, 2008. |
