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Lankan woman identified as international human trafficking racket handler
A Sri Lankan woman, in Oman, has been identified as the handler of an international human-trafficking racket covering Asian and African continents, said a news report published by the Press Trust of India yesterday.
The PTI report filed from Noida – short for New Okhla Industrial Development Authority, a planned city located in Gautam Buddh Nagar district of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh – said: Police in Uttar Pradesh, India have unearthed a large human-trafficking nexus spread across several countries and targeting women aged between 24 and 50 years on the pretext of getting them employed as domestic helps for a good salary in Gulf countries such as Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
The victims are not only from Uttar Pradesh, but also from other parts of India like Punjab, Goa, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, while the nexus has also trapped women from neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan as well as from some African nations, they claimed.
Kanpur’s Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Salman Taj Patil said the lid blew off the human-trafficking racket when they started investigating a complaint in April from a city resident, who alleged that his wife was “trapped” in Oman, only to uncover the larger international nexus.
“When we extended the scope of the investigation, the officers soon understood that the matter was related to human trafficking. Police Commissioner Asim Arun engaged Kanpur’s Anti-Human Trafficking Unit to go deeper into the case, while central agencies like the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) were also alerted and their help was sought in rescuing the victims.
“In the last four months, 12 such women — six from Kanpur, two each from Punjab and Chennai and one each from Goa and Karnataka — were brought back to the country safely with the MEA’s help,” the officer told PTI.
He said the police investigation has revealed that Ayesha, the Sri Lankan-origin woman in Oman, handles the entire network abroad while her key Indian stooges, who are based in Bengaluru, have connections with “travel agents” in states who trap women and send them to foreign countries on a “tourist visa”.
During the probe, two Kanpur residents — Muzammil and Ateequr Rahman — who worked as travel agents and had sent some women to Gulf countries were arrested, according to police officials.
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Russian Embassy, Russian House, unveil plaque at Public Library in honour of 80th anniversary of victory day
The Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka and the Russian House in Colombo unveiled a plaque at the public library Colombo today (29th April) in honour of the 80th anniversary of victory day.
Victory Day is celebrated on the 9th of May, the day Nazi Germany was defeated in World War II. It is an important date in the Russian calendar and an integral part of Russian culture.
The plaque was jointly unveiled by the Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Sri Lanka Lenav Dzhagaryan and Ms Maria Popova Counsellor of the Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka and Director of the Russian House in Colombo
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Ministerial committee appointed to review and further enhance ‘State Commercial Enterprises Management draft bill’
It has been recognized that the state enterprises should be re – structured and maintained with proper administration with the assistance of local or foreign investments without being a continuous burden to the General Treasury and the country’s economy. Therefore, it is the policy of the new government to introduce an efficient and accountable mechanism in the regard. An initial draft named “State Commercial Enterprises Management Draft Bill” has been already prepared to introduce a new legal framework required for maintaining after performing necessary restructuring and with proper management of government owned business companies. Thereon, it will be possible to totally free the state entrepreneurship establishments from political influences and appoint professionals with proficiency for its board of directors.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Plan Implementation and Economic Development to grant policy approval of the Cabinet of Ministers for the said initial draft and appoint a special committee with the following composition to submit appropriate proposals for further enhancing after reviewing the initial draft:
• Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Labour and the Deputy Minister of Economic Development – (Chairman)
• Hon. Sunil Handunneththi Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship
• Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Co – operative Development
• Hon. (Dr.) Harshana Sooriyapperuma Deputy Minister of Finance Plan Implementation
The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the Minister of Justice and National Integration to appoint Thilak Nandana Hettiarachchi, a special grade officer in Sri Lanka Administrative Service who served in the post of Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Buddha Shasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, to the post of Commissioner General of Official Languages with immediate effect.
Russian Embassy, Russian House, unveil plaque at Public Library in honour of 80th anniversary of victory day
Ministerial committee appointed to review and further enhance ‘State Commercial Enterprises Management draft bill’
Thilak Nandana Hettiarachchi appointed Commissioner General of Official Languages
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