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| Sunday, 11 May 2003 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Police investigating attack on Govt. Press by ANTON NONIS and Chamikara Weerasinghe The situation at Government Printing Press on Baseline Road, Borella has calmed down and there have been no incidents reported from the area after tight security was imposed last Friday night, the police said yesterday. Army is assisting the police, Defence Brigadier Karunaratne said. Additional Printer of the state press, B.D. Silva said they were not allowed to enter the gate of the premises and were sent away by the police when they went to work in the morning yesterday . Police investigating the attack on the Government Printing Press (GPP) on Friday night, have requested members of the public to come forward and identify those were involved in the attack. About ten vehicles parked at the GPP premises belonging to employees and others, were damaged by mobs wielding iron rods, window panes on the building were also damaged. According to Director of Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) Sarath Lugoda who is directing investigations, there had been about 300 workers in the building when the attack took place round 7 p.m. They had been witness to the attack. Fire Chief, J. Kannangara said that he had to keep some fire engines ready closer to the GPP premises in the event of arson. Meanwhile, PA MP Bharatha Laxman Premachandra has made a complaint to senior police officials that he was forcibly removed from the premises by some police personnel. According to Director Lugoda, Inspector General T. Anandarajah has appointed a special unit under a Senior Superintendent from the Police Headquarters to inquire into this matter. No one has been taken into custody in connection with the attack, and police are continuing with the investigation. The Government Printing Press has been sealed by the Ministry of Mass Communication until further notice. Meanwhile Imtiaz Bakeer Markar, Minister of Mass Communication has sought clarification from the Attorney General as to whether the publication of the Gazette notice, would be contrary to the provisions of the constitution. The Minister on Friday directed the Government Printer not to publish the Gazette notification of the President's decision to bring the Development Lottery Board under her purview, after being informed by the Prime Minister that the notice had been forwarded to the Printer without reference to him. |
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