Sinhalese workers arrested in Kilinochchi with T-56 rifle

[TamilNet, Friday, 31 October 2003, 17:51 GMT]
The Thamil Eelam Police Service (TEPS) Thursday arrested two Sinhalese workers of a construction firm engaged in road development on the A-9 highway in Paranthan, with a T 56 rifle concealed in a polythene bag, the Voice of Tigers (VoT) reported Friday in its news broadcast.

The Criminal Investigations Department of the TEPS had stopped a HIACE van proceeding towards Jaffna Thursday near the Kilinochchi town on a routine check. When the van was stopped the occupants acted suspiciously and appeared taken aback, the VoT said.

Their suspicions aroused, the TEPS personnel had searched the van thoroughly and found a T 56 rifle, according to the VoT.

Both Sinhalese men were produced at the Thamil Eelam courts in Kilinochchi Friday morning and were ordered remanded, the VoT quoted the officer-in-charge of the TEPS in Kilinochchi, Mr.T Thenakan, as saying.

The other occupants of the van are also being investigated, sources said.