Attempt on EPDP leader's life captured on CCTV
by Ananth Palakidnar
The assassination attempt on Minister and EPDP leader Douglas
Devananda was somewhat a 'drama in real life' according to EPDP's media
spokesman.
The spokesman said that for the first time a suicide attack had been
recorded live on closed circuit TV cameras. "From the time the assassin
entered the Ministry premises of Minister Devananda her every movement
had been recorded clearly by the close circuit cameras at the key spots
in the vicinity of the Ministry of Social Services," the spokesman said.
He added that the woman suicide assassin entered the Ministry
premises through the main gate at 7.40 a.m. on Wednesday. The close
circuit video cameras at the key spots in the compound and inside the
Ministry building had recorded every movement of the assassin until the
time she exploded herself.
"The assassin was in conversation with the Minister's PRO Steven
Peiris when she was questioned about the purpose of her visit to the
Ministry. It was when they were chatting that the assassin pulled a
piece of tape from her brassiere and the blast occurred.
The explosion occurred at 8.06 a.m. The entire incident from the time
the assassin entered the Ministry compound had been recorded clearly and
precisely," the spokesman said.
Twelve attempts had been made on the Minister's life so far and
Wednesday's attack was the second suicide attempt on his life. The first
suicide attempt was on July 7, 2004 by a woman suicide cadre. But it was
foiled when the police took her to the Kollupitiya police station.
However, she exploded herself inside the police station killing a
constable and damaging the front portion of the station, the spokesman
said.
Meanwhile, the funeral of Steven Peiris, the Minister's Public
Relations Officer who was killed on Wednesday. Peiris, was of Malayalam
origin and hailed from Nuwara Eliya.
He was earlier attached to the now defunct North and East Provincial
Council. He worked with Devananda from 1990 and contested last General
elections.
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