Law and order prevail in North

by P.Krishnaswamy

Peace, normal life and law and order are fully prevalent in the Northern Province and isolated incidents of abductions, attempted abductions and robberies in Jaffna perpetrated by anti-social elements were compatible with similar incidents taking place in other parts of the country , Brigadier Sarath Wijesinghe, General Officer commanding the 51 Division told the Sunday Observer.

He denied reports in some sections of the Colombo-based Tamil newspapers that such incidents have reached alarming proportions in Jaffna. One person was abducted in Manipay with the motive of demanding ransom for his release. Two suspects were arrested in this regard; one of them is a trader while the other is a fisherman, the Brigadier said. After reports of two attempted abductions of schoolchildren in Achchuvely and Manipay, the Army presence in those areas was increased, he said.

In Nallur an Army soldier apprehended a woman who tried to snatch the gold chain of an elderly woman and she was handed over to the police, Brigadier Wijesinghe said.

The presence of the Army in areas with heavier concentrations of people was gradually being reduced with the police taking over their place and maintaining civil administration.

The process of pulling out the Army at a gradual pace will continue, the Brigadier said.

Police spokesman SP Prishantha Jayakody said that all police stations in the Northern Province were functioning with civil administration fully restored. Law and order was being maintained by the police in most areas and combined operations with the Army were being launched whenever necessary, he said.