Soldier arrested for waylaying women

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 April 2000, 15:08 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier was arrested by the Police yesterday for allegedly robbing two houses on April 11 and way laying four women on April 10 in Thampalakamam in the Trincomalee district. The arrest was made following a protest march by a large number of civilians in Thampalakamam on April 13.

The protestors charged that SLA personnel at a road side sentry in the village had way laid four women who were returning from a function at night on April 10 and had relieved them of all their jewellery at gun point.They also accused the soldiers of robbing two houses in the village the next day.

The allegations were made in a memorandum the protestors handed over to the Police in Thampalakamam.

The Kantalai Police made the arrest after a soldier was pointed out at an identification parade by the civilians who were robbed. The Superintendent of Police for Kantalai was in Thampalakamam yesterday to make inquiries.

Police sources said that it is not uncommon for soldiers who contemplate desertion to engage in such robberies before abandoning their posts.