r Ministry of Defence - Sri Lanka

Special search operations around schools premises on Sunday

May 05, 2019

Special security arrangements have been made to facilitate the reopening of schools on Monday. Necessary instructions have already been issued to all Police stations in the country. In addition to these special security measures, additional arrangements will be made in consultation with school authorities and parents to form school wise vigilance committees in each Police Divisions as extra security precautions.

Search operations of school environs in Colombo will be carried out on Sunday before the schools begin on Monday. Prior notice of this arrangement is given in order to avoid unnecessary inconvenience or misinterpretation of motives.

Motorists are requested not to park their vehicles in the vicinity of schools after 1.00 pm Sunday especially in Colombo. Special parking spaces have been identified for school busses, vans and other vehicles of school staffs in Colombo.

56 unidentified body parts of deceased victims of the Easter Sunday bombings are lying at the mortuary of the Colombo Judicial Medical Office. It is requested that relatives of anyone who had been reported missing in the incident or had been in such locations during the incidents to make an entry at their nearest Police stations in this regard. Action will be taken to conduct DNA tests to verify identification of these body parts.

The public is also requested to handover swords and Kris knives in their possession to their nearest Police stations. A large number of such weapons were seized during search operations in the recent past. Those who have such weapons in their possession should hand them over to their nearest Police stations on Saturday and Sunday (04 & 05). In addition, anyone who has in their possession uniforms similar to those worn by Tri Forces or Police can also hand them over to their nearest Police stations during these two days.

It also observed that false information continue to be spread through social media. Recently a conversation, regarding suspects under custody, purported to be between two Policemen is being shared through social media sources. We refute the existence of such a conversation as it is a fabricated one. Investigations will be carried out to find out how this fabricated story originated and persons responsible. Spreading of rumours and false information is an offence and legal action will be taken against those found guilty of involving in such activities.

These details were revealed by Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara at a press briefing chaired by the Military Spokesman and Director, Media Centre, Brigadier Sumith Atapattu, held at the Media Centre in Kollupitiya, on Saturday evening.