Quick Look

Another cellphone related suicide

Asela KURULUWANSA and Indika POLKOTUWA

A student of a well-known girls' schools in Wattegama committed suicide by hanging herself.

According to police investigations the girl had been driven to the act over distress over allegations that she had stolen a mobile phone.

Wattegama and Panwila police are investigating.

Arms found behind MC premises

Rafik JALALDEEN

A group of labourers from the Batticaloa Municipal Council digging a pit behind the Batticaloa Municipal Council premises found a stock of arms on Tuesday.

Police spokesman Senior DIG Nimal Mediwake said on information provided by the labourers, police unearthed 25 of 122mm artillery shells, three claymore mines, eight 60mm mortar bombs, four of 152mm artillery shells and four exploders. The bombs were defused at the Thalladi Army camp.

Death of former Deputy Minister

Former Deputy Minister Soma Kumari Tennakoon passed away yesterday while on the campaigning trail in the Southern Provincial polls.

Tennakoon who is presently a UPFA North Western Provincial Councillor and former Chairman of Laksala had suffered a heart attack and died on admission to Hambantota Base Hospital.

According to sources, she had been actively campaigning in the south for the victory of the UPFA.

Tennakoon entered Parliament in the 1994 General election and she is the daughter of SLFP stalwart and Deputy Finance Minister Mudiyanse Tennakoon.

Musical of hope

A musical of hope presented by the choir of St. Francis of Assisi Church, Mount Lavinia will be held at the Trinity College Chapel, Kandy tomorrow.

Public lecture

The Dharmavijaya Foundation will present a public lecture on "Cancer Prevention and Lifestyle" by Dr. Prasad Abeysinghe on October 2 at 5.00 p.m. at the Dharmavijaya Auditorium, 380/7, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 07.

Saraswathy Pooja

Saraswathy Pooja and Vijaya Dasami festival will be held on Sunday, September 27 and Monday, September 28 at Nuwara Eliya Aavaliya Sri Muththumari Amman Kovil.

Art exhibition

Twelve students of Latifa Ismail will hold an exhibition of paintings titled 'Joyful Expressions' with the aim of helping the less fortunate children.

The exhibition will be held at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery, Colombo 7 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on September 26 and 27.

Intruder at Courts complex

Sandasen MARASINGHE

An intruder who tried to enter the Superior Courts Complex yesterday using a fake visitor's pass escaped when the security guards started to question him on suspicion.

Superior Courts Complex Manager Security E.P.M. Pathirana said the security guards had taken the suspect's identity card and the fake visitor's pass.

He said the suspect from Menikhinna had photocopied an original visitor's pass issued by the Justice Ministry and substituted his photograph. He had laminated the fake pass very well.

The Security Manager stated that he had handed over the matter to the Police.

Sita Rajasuriya dies

Former Chief Commissioner and President of the Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association Sita Rajasuriya passed away yesterday. Remains will lie at Girl Guide Headquarters on Saturday, September 26 from 8.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. Cremation will be held on Saturday, 26 at General Cemetery Kanatte at 3.30 p.m. All Girl Guides are requested to assemble at the main entrance of the General Cemetery Kanatte at 2.30 p.m.

Save a young life

Dunstan Jegadeva Hubert, 35 is a electronics technician.

He is a father of three sons aged 9, 5, and 1 of No. 67/31, St. Jude Mawatha, Midland City, Sinha Road, Mabola, Wattala (NIC 740680323V) needs an O negative kidney to save his life immediately. A donor is requested to contact 011-4974840.

Death fall

S.A.L. Niroshana Ratnapura District Special Corr.

A five year old girl died when she fell off a three-wheeler driven by her father along Kirimetitenna-Randoluwewa road in Balangoda on Wednesday. Balangoda Police said the tragedy had occurred when the father and daughter were returning home after visiting Balangoda town. The deceased was identified as Fathima Nasla.The inquest into the death was held at the Balangoda Hospital by Inquirer into Sudden Deaths Ruban Pieris. The father in evidence said the daughter had died when she jumped off the moving vehicle to collect a toy which fell off her hand unnoticed by him.

Missing soldier nabbed with weapon:

Rafik JALALDEEN

A soldier who wanted to kill his entire family was arrested by police along with weapons on Wednesday evening in Vilagedara, Welipana area.

Police spokesman Senior DIG Nimal Mediwake said a soldier serving at an Army camp in Killinochchi and who had come to Colombo for an official purpose was reported missing in Gampaha area on Wednesday.

“The soldier got down from the Army vehicle with his weapon on his way back to Killinochchi and disappeared,” he added. Following information, Welipana police nabbed the missing soldier hiding at a cemetery in Vilagedara area. “The soldier was arrested along with a T56 rifle, 151 T56 ammunition and two magazines,” DIG Mediwake said.

He said during interrogation, the solider had revealed that he was intending to kill his mother, wife, two children and mother-in-law due to a personal dispute with his wife.

Welipana police are investigating.

English teaching for disabled

Ishara MUDUGAMUWA

The Sri Lanka Vocational Training Authority will start an English teaching program for disabled people under an agreement made with LC Resource Centre for the Disabled for this English Language training program.

Vocational Training Authority Chairman Daya Sandagiri said more than two million disabled people live in Sri Lanka, besides those who became disabled because of the war.

“We made this agreement as a relief for disabled people.

“We will start this teaching program on October 1 at the National Vocational Training Institute, Narahenpita” he said.

The Sri Lanka Red Cross (SLRC) launched its publication ‘Rebuilding Communities with Dedication and Professionalism’ on Monday at the Galle Face Hotel, Colombo. The book documented the unique service to the nation by the Technical Support Services Unit (TSSU) of the SLRC in the aftermath of the tsunami. Here, the gathering including Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivad Cabraal, going through the book at the book launch ceremony. Picture by Ruwan de Silva