24 Tamil youths arrested in Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 07 April 2009, 03:17 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police arrested 24 Tamil youths Saturday and Sunday in the suburbs of Colombo city, according to complaints made to Deputy Minister P. Rathakrishnan by the youths’ relatives. Meanwhile, security measures in Colombo have been strengthened on the assumption that Liberation Tigers may launch attacks in Colombo during the forth coming New Year celebrations, police spokesman Ranjith Gunasekara said.

Additional armed forces have been deployed in Colombo to carry out search and checking operations, he said.

Meanwhile, Colombo police head quarter announced Monday that prior police permission is obligatory to conduct New Year celebrations in Colombo and its suburbs.

Police search activities have escalated markedly in predominantly Tamil areas in Colombo including Wellawathe, Bambapalapitiya, Colpetty, Kotahena, Mattakuliya and Grand Pass.

More police personnel, Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) soldiers and home guards are deployed in these search operations in Colombo than SLA soldiers, sources in Colombo said.