Explosives found in bus, Murunkan Police detains driver, passengers

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 January 2006, 14:49 GMT]
The Murunkan Police on Friday morning around 4.40 a.m. detected explosives in a Mannar bound bus that left Colombo Thursday night and arrested five persons including the driver and the conductor of the bus. The explosives were discovered during an inspection at the checkpoint in Kaddaiadampan, a village in the Mannar, Police said. The Murunkan Police served three-day detention order on the driver who is a Sinhalese, conductor and three passengers for further investigation, legal sources said.

Murunkan Police Saturday afternoon produced two of the three passengers, a Tamil woman and a Muslim youth before the acting Mannar Magistrate Mr.A.S.Johnthasan.

The two were released on personal bail for a sum of twenty five thousand rupees each.

The Tamil woman, a native of Mulankavil was on her way to join her family after working abroad as a housemaid, legal sources said.

The three persons who are under detention have been taken to Anuradhapura for further interrogation by CID officials, sources said.