Tree falls on lorry: driver dies

A lorry driver died when a tree fell on the lorry he was driving on Monday at Gatahatta junction, Awissawella. M Priyantha Rohana of Pahala Kosgama, 47, was confirmed dead on admission to Avissawella hospital.

He faced the mishap while transporting vegetables from Embilipitiya to Weyangoda. The postmortem was due yesterday. Awissawella Police are investigating.

Fisherman missing

Ahungalla Police commenced a search operation to find a fisherman reported missing with his canoe while fishing in the Madu Ganga in Ahungalla.

The inclement weather and strong winds on Monday had caused the vessel to go out of control, Police said. The victim has been identified as H Simon Appu of Balapitiya, 70.

Van driver held for abusing girl

A school van driver was arrested for abusing a five year old preschool girl in Wennappuwa. The accused who is the driver of the school van the girl travels in, had raped her in the van when she returned to the vehicle after preschool. The suspect was to be produced before Marawila Magistrate court.

Nabbed with cannabis

A man was arrested while transporting 7.564 kgs of cannabis at Arambegama in Tanamalwila. Police took into custody Rs 30,000 when he offered it as a bribe to release him.

Police arrested the man when they checked the car he was travelling in at a checkpoint in Tanamalwila. The suspect a resident of Middeniya is being questioned by Tanamalwila Police under detention.

Bullets found in garden

Wellawa Police launched an investigation into a stock of mm 9 bullets found in a garden in Nikadalupotha.

A woman who is a resident of Undubadagama was cleaning the garden when she found the bullets wrapped in a parcel. She had produced it to Wellawa Police.

Weapon haul recovered

A cache of weapons hidden in an abandoned well was detected by Kilinochchi Police at Elukkuwattuwal on Monday.

The stock included T 56 bullets, MPMP bullets, M 16 bullets, anti-air craft bullets, mm 60 Motor bombs with fuse and without fuse, mm 60 and mm 81 mortar fuses, claymore mines, electric detonators, anti-personnel and anti-vehicle RPG bombs, hand grenades, RPG chargers, exploders and pressure bomb fuses. Killinochchi Police are investigating.

Attempted human smuggling: six remanded

Six suspect arrested by Kalkuda Police at Karungalachola Aliyagala beach while trying to travel to Australia illegally were remanded until July 9 by the Walachchenei Magistrate.

Kalkuda Police are investigating to arrest the kingpin of the human trafficking incident.

Illegal sand miners arrested

STF officers attached to the Mankulam camp arrested five persons while engaged in illegal sand mining in the Pearu reserve in Kanagarayanaru on Monday.

Police said the suspects had damaged the banks of the river which had caused the flora and fauna in the banks to get washed away. The suspects and the implements including a tractor were handed over to Kalmune Police.