Grenade attack on SLA sentry near Point Pedro schools

[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 November 2005, 17:41 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) sentry point, serving as the gateway to Hartley College and Methodist Girls High School located within the Point Pedro High Security Zone (HSZ), came under grenade attack at 7 p.m. Saturday sources said. Gunmen riding a motorbike lobbed the grenade and escaped via the Hostel Road. Point Pedro SLA declined to disclose the damages to the sentry.

Residents said gunmen came along College road towards the sentry and escaped along Hostel road adjoining the Hartley College playgrounds and the destroyed buildings of the school's old Hostel building.

Point Pedro town came to a standstill after 7 p.m. and all pedestrian and vehicular traffic remain suspended along college road near the sentry.

The area where the sentry is located , in addition to the schools, also encloses Point Pedro district and magistrate courts, Kottadi Amman temple and a Hartley's church.

The SLA occupied a larger area in Pt. Pedro than it did in 85-87 when it took control of the peninsula in 1996. All public and private properties in College Road, Vinayaga Mudaliyar (VM) Road, Police Station Road, Beach Road, Harbour Road and the 1st and 2nd Cross Streets are still occupied by the military.