In brief

Snatch thief arrested

B. W. Eheliyagoda, Kegalle Special

A Snatch thief was arrested by a valiant police officer of the Avissawella police while trying to escape after snatching a gold chain off the neck of a bus commuter at Avissawella recently.

The man, said to be a member of a gang operating in the Avissawella area was arrested by the Police Officer who was on beat duty after the victim and commuters raised cries after he had alighted from the bus with the chain.

Further investigations are being conducted under the directions of headquarter’s inspector Nalin Attanayake of the Avissawella police.

Chillies, aplenty

L.S. Ananda WEDAARACHCHI

Chillie cultivation reached a high growth rate during the Maha Season 2008, a recent survey of Agriculture and Food conducted by the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agriculture Research and Training Institute has found.

According to the crop forecast of the Department of Agriculture, the targeted extent of chillies for Maha was 12,746 hectares, out of which 64 percent of the target was achieved and the production was 28,760 m. tonnes.The supply of green chillies had increased during the month of February in most of the areas cultivating the crop and wholesale and retail prices had decreased by 17 percent and 10 percent respectively.

The current wholesale and retail prices of green chillies had increased by about 36 percent and 27 percent respectively, compared to the same period last year.

Fined : Drinking and driving

B.W. Eheliyagoa - Kegalle special

Two motorists K. G. Rajapaksha and D. Nalaka Ruwan from Hanwella were fined Rs. 7,500 and Rs. 6,500 by the Avissawella chief Magistrate Tikiri K. Jayatilleke for driving on the highway under the influence of liquor and also not possessing driving licences.