Children pay the pricefor family ills
Killinochchi: Many children have been forced to pay the ultimate price for the ill doings of their parents the recent most tragic case being reported from Killinochchi. Three children were drowned after their mother alleged dumped them in a deep irrigation well at Killinochchi before attempting suicide herself. The children were aged two, five and eight years and their limp bodies were rescued from the water by Navy divers who had been pressed into the rescue effort.
The mother was however, rescued and is currently undergoing treatment at the Killinochchi Hospital, the officials added.
Initial investigations have revealed that the woman was believed to have tried to suicide owing to a festering family dispute.
In the North a 25-year woman was caught on video camera caning her toddler of seven months while another female relative looks on.
The woman had returned after serving a stint in Kuwait and was apparently suffering from depression owing to a prolonged family dispute.
Ironically, the incident was recorded by the woman’s brother.
It was only late last month that a mother fed poison to her unsuspecting two children before swallowing the same substance in a botched triple suicide bid at Dambulla.
The mother and the two children survived only after they were spotted by villagers and admitted to a nearby hospital where they were successfully treated.
The mother was subsequently arrested and jailed.
Chain snatchers on the prowl
POLICE HQ: Chain snatching is on the rise and the public was yesterday cautioned to be extra-vigilant while moving in public places.
Some 130 such cases have already been registered by police since the start of this year.
Police believe that the majority of the thieves are drug addicts desperately in need of money to maintain their expensive habit.
The bulk of the suspects use motorcycles for their quick getaway after an incident.
Not only that a large number of petty thieves were recently released from remand prisons and jails throughout the country to ease the congestion in holding facilities.
Among those released were a sizeable number of drug addicts, officials said.
Police Sergeant, Labour official grounded for graft
MAHARAGAMA: A Police Sergeant was nabbed while allegedly demanding a Rs. 20,000 bribe from a Canadian national to drop a traffic offence.
The Canadian was stopped by the suspect Sergeant for a traffic offence at Maharagama and he was later told that he would have to pay Rs. 20,000 to avoid a court proceeding where he would face a larger fine.
The matter was later brought to the notice of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOC) and the suspect was picked up in a sting operation. A Labour official was caught red-handed as he accepted a bribe of Rs. 10,000 at a location in Kaduganawa.
The suspect was attached to the Kandy District Labour Office and is alleged to have demanded Rs. 30, 000 from a mill owner who had been under investigation for the non-payment of EPF to his employees.
The suspect was arrested by sleuths from the CIABOC.
Impersonator nabbed at O/L exam centre
MULLAITIVU: An impersonator at a G.C.E. O/L exam centre at Shilawatte in Mullaitivu was caught red handed and handed over to the authorities this week.
The suspect was detected by an official from the Education Department.
In a separate incident three G.C.E. O/L students were taken into custody following a brawl outside an examination centre at Madatugama in Kekirawa.
According to the police, the brawl had erupted following a heated argument between two groups belonging to different schools.
One student who had sustained injuries in the melee was later taken to the Dambulla Hospital while three others were produced before a local Magistrate and each released on Rs. 100,000 surety bail.
Obscene photos lead to death
NARAMMALA: A furious husband is alleged to have stabbed a man to death after the victim is alleged to have sent obscene photographs his wife on to his phone.
The suspect initially collided with the victim’s motorcycle and later stabbed him to death with a sharp instrument in a daylight incident at Pahamune-Narammala.
The suspect later surrendered to police and told investigators that the victim had embarrassed him on several earlier occasions by posting obscene photographs of his wife to his phone.
The victim was a resident of Pahamune in Narammala.