Student released on bail

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 March 2000, 13:51 GMT]
Shanmugalingam Arjun, a student of Trincomalee Sri Koneswara Hindu College detained in connection with a suicide bomb blast that took place on March 2 in the town, has been released on surety bail by the Magistrate today.

The army at the scene of the attack arrested Arjun but was later handed over to the Trincomalee Police for interrogation. A week after his arrest, students of Trincomalee town schools launched a boycott, demanding the immediate release of Arjun.

The school boycott was later postponed for a week on assurances given by the police that they would take action to release Arjun in seven days' time after recording the statement of the Army officer who escaped the suicide attack.

The statement of the said Army officer was recorded at a Police Station in Colombo.

The Special Police Bureau of Trincomalee Police today produced Arjun before Magistrate P.Swarnaraj.

The prosecution said that they had no objection to releasing the student on bail.

The Magistrate ordered Shanmugalingam Arjun be released on surety. He instructed that any two persons who are holders of National Identity Cards could sign as sureties.

The Magistrate instructed Arjun to report every Saturday to the Special Investigation Unit of the Trincomalee Police.

Further hearings were postponed for July 3 this year. Attorney-at-Law A.Jegasothy appeared for Arjun.