Connect with us

News

Peliyagoda-Grandpass police stations’ tug-of-war adds to woes of public seeking help against nighttime robberies at New Kelani Bridge

Published

on

 by Norman Palihawadane

The general public seeking police assistance to combat the spate of nighttime robberies plaguing the new Kelani Bridge face an additional hurdle: an ongoing jurisdictional battle between the Grandpass and Peliyagoda police stations.

Numerous individuals have fallen victim to thefts of mobile phones, jewelry, and cash in recent times on the new Kelani Bridge, perpetrated by a combination of robbers and drug addicts. Despite continuous reports to law enforcement, the absence of CCTV surveillance and a dedicated police post at the location remains conspicuous. Police have been apprised of the ongoing nefarious activities transpiring in and around the vicinity of the new Kelani Bridge.

Complainants who have suffered robberies express their frustration with the discord between the Grandpass and Peliyagoda police stations. This bureaucratic tug of war forces them to shuttle between the two stations in order to file their complaints.

In a recent incident, a school student returning from an LPL cricket match at the Khettarama Stadium fell victim to a brutal assault by robbers. Accompanied by a friend, the student was ambushed by a group of four assailants who demanded their cash and mobile phones. When the students resisted, the robbers launched a physical attack, resulting in one student managing to escape while the other was left beaten and robbed of his wallet and a mobile phone valued at approximately Rs 250,000, according to police reports.

In response to parental complaints, the Grandpass police swiftly acted, conducting a successful raid that led to the apprehension of two suspects. During police questioning, one suspect revealed they had sold the stolen mobile phone for a mere Rs 30,000. Prompt police action resulted in the recovery of the phone and its subsequent return to the rightful owner.

The commendable efforts of SI Jeewantha Shalvin, CDB OIC Nisshanka Wijeratne, and PC Ratnayake (30441), who orchestrated the raid, were praised by Colombo DIG Jagath Chandrakumara.

Highlighting the urgency to address the rising tide of crime, Grandpass OIC HH Harison acknowledged numerous reported robberies in the area. Steps have been taken to combat this menace, including several recent raids resulting in the apprehension of drug addicts and the recovery of contraband heroin, OIC Harrison noted.

Recognizing the multiple police stations responsible for the area in question, OIC Harrison initiated discussions with fellow OICs from neighboring stations. Their collective aim is to formulate a collaborative strategy to eliminate crime and deter further robberies, thereby enhancing public safety in the vicinity.



Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Foreign News

One dead in US after being struck by taking off Frontier Airlines plane

Published

on

By

A Frontier Airlines jetliner taxis down a runway for take off from Denver International Airport in Denver, Colorado [Aljazeera]

A person has died after jumping an airport perimeter fence in the US state of Colorado and being struck by a Frontier Airlines plane, according to authorities.

Denver International Airport said the unusual incident occurred late Friday, after the unidentified individual gained access to the tarmac.

It said the “pedestrian jumped the perimeter fence and was hit just two minutes later while crossing the runway”.

A brief engine fire followed the collision, which was put out by emergency responders, according to the airport.

It said that 12 of the 231 people on board suffered minor injuries, with five hospitalised.

The airport said investigators had examined the fence line where the individual entered and “found it to be intact”.

It added that the struck individual “is not believed to be an employee of the airport”.

“We are extremely saddened by this incident and express our sympathies to those involved,” the airport said.

Both local authorities and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) were investigating the incident.

Airport safety in the US came under renewed scrutiny earlier this year amid a prolonged shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which temporarily left both Transportation Security Agents (TSA) and air traffic controllers working without pay.

While instances of people being killed on airport tarmacs are rare, Friday’s incident came a day after a Delta employee was killed after an airport vehicle struck an airbridge at Orlando International Airport.

In March, two pilots were  killed after an Air Canada Express plane crashed into a fire-rescue vehicle at LaGuardia Airport in New York.

About 225,000 people travel through Denver International Airport a day.

[Aljazeera]

Continue Reading

Latest News

Showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the  Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern, Uva, North-western and Northern provinces and in Anuradhapura district.

Published

on

By

WEATHER FORECAST FOR 10 MAY 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 10 May 2026 by the Department of Meteorology

The low-level atmospheric disturbance in the vicinity of Sri Lanka is likely to develop into a low-pressure area around 11th of May. Therefore, the prevailing showery conditions over the island are expected to continue during the next few days.

Showers or thundershowers will occur at most places over the island, and cloudy skies are expected over the island. Heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the  Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern, Uva, North-western and Northern provinces and in Anuradhapura district.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

Continue Reading

News

Lanka Port City officials to meet investors in Dubai

Published

on

ECONOMYNEXT –Colombo Port City (CPC) officials will head to Dubai to meet with investors on June 11, as Sri Lanka’s most ambitious economic zone looks for further foreign investments.

“We are meeting people in Dubai and the Middle East in order to demonstrate that Colombo Port City can be a supplementary zone of investment,” Harsha Amarasekara, Chairman, Colombo Port City Economic Commission (CPCEC), told Economynext.

The meeting will be organised by CPCEC, China Harbour Engineering Company, Consulate General of Sri Lanka – Dubai, and the Embassy of Sri Lanka – Abu Dhabi.

Foreign investor meetings have been a consistent factor in marketing CPC, and identifying potential markets has been a priority for CHEC and CPCEC.

“We have shortlisted and identified primary markets and we have combed the globe in that to say have a rationale behind why you would want to do certain things, a road show in a particular country,” Thulci Aluwihare, Deputy Managing Director, CHEC Port City Colombo, told Echelon Media.

“Once we kind of shortlist on that, then we aggressively go and market Port City, first Sri Lanka I should say, then Port City.”

“Sri Lanka is known in the world as a tourist destination, not essentially for a doing business capital. That is the narrative that we are trying to change,” he added.

Continue Reading

Trending