46 civilians arrested in Dehiwala, Gampaha

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 September 2007, 11:15 GMT]
Seventeen civilians, majority of them Tamils, were arrested in a combined cordon and search operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police in Dehiwala in Colombo district from Saturday night to Sunday dawn, sources in Colombo said. Police said the suspects were taken into custody on receipt of information that movement of some strangers in the area had been noted.

The arrested were not in possession of any documents to prove their identity and reason for their stay in the location. The detainees are being detained in police station and being interrogated by the Terrorist Intelligence Division, police sources said.

Nearly one hundred houses located in two lanes where Tamils are in majority and coastal area were subjected to severe checking.

Meanwhile, thirty nine persons were taken into custody in a cordon and search operation conducted in Gampaha town in the western province Saturday. Most of the arrested are said to be Tamil civilians staying with their relatives and boarding houses, sources said.

Sri Lanka Police have notified the residents of Maharagama town through loudhailers that that those stay in the area without registering themselves with the police would be arrested if they fail to do so immediately. Those staying temporarily with their relatives and working in business houses have also been asked to report to the police station to register, sources said.