Reward for policeman

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 March 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Sub-Inspector of Police who chased the bus carrying the bomb yesterday was awarded five hundred thousand rupees (USD 8000) in cash by the Sri Lankan government and was promoted to the rank of Inspector with immediate effect.

Meanwhile, the wife of Pulendran, the person in Eravur who is alleged to have bought the bus from a Muslim woman, has been brought to Colombo for further investigations along with the other suspects who were arrested today in connection with the blast in Maradan, near downtown Colombo yesterday.

Pulendran's two young children were also arrested and detained by the Police along with their mother.

Earlier reports said that Pulendran was the driver of the otherwise empty mini-bus which was carrying the bomb. Police sources said that Pulendran is a native of Panankaadu, near Akkaraippattu in the Amparai district.

The Police have arrested two brothers, A.Balendran and A.Yogendran, who sell coconuts in the Batticaloa market in connection with the blast.

Two garage owners in Batticaloa town, S. Mahendirarajah and Nagamani Kumar were also taken in by the Police along with S.Santhiran, an assistant of the former.

The conductor of the bus, S. Kanthan is in custody with the Muslim broker who arranged the sale of the vehicle to Pulendiran said Police sources. The bus was used in private transport company between Colombo and the east of the island.

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