Prayers for President's recovery

[TamilNet, Monday, 20 December 1999, 15:55 GMT]
Three Deputy Inspector Generals (DIG) of police were among those wounded in the bomb blast at People's Alliance (PA) rally in Colombo on Saturday night in which 24 people were killed, police sources said. DIG, Colombo District, T.N.de Silva was killed in the blast. Meanwhile prayers were said for the recovery President Chandrika Kumaratunge, who was wounded in the blast.

DIG de Silva's funeral was held at Kurunegala in Sri Lanka's central province this afternoon, said police sources.

The wounded police officers, were named as Gamini Rantheni, DIG, Region-1, Puniye de Silva, DIG, Criminal Investigation Department, and Victor Perera, DIG, Presidential Security Division (PSD).

Police sources said the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is conducting a separate investigation into the blast, in addition to the special commission appointed yesterday.

Meanwhile, several thousand people are reported to have gathered at temples and churches to pray for the speedy recovery of President Chandrika Kumaratunge, who was slightly wounded in her right eye during the blast.

Jeyaraj Fernandopulle MP and Sri Lanka's minister of Plan Implementation and Parliamentary Affairs told TamilNet that a special mass was planned at St Kajetan's Church Welihena in the electorate of Katana today.

This will be officiated by Rev Fr Calistus Perera the Parish Priest of welihena and Rev Fr Gamini Perera the Rector of the Jesuit Seminary Negombo, he said.