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Grenade explosion in Embilipitiya Court kills three, prisoners escape

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 February 2005, 07:02 GMT]
Three people were killed and more than 50 people were injured in a grenade explosion in Embilipitiya Court Monday. 24 prisoners including 19 accused as hardcore criminals and brought for their cases to the court, escaped from the scene, according to a prison-officer. Embilipitiya is a city located in Sabaragamuva Province in the South.

One prison official was among the three dead, sources said.

Police suspected underworld gang for the attack.

Sri Lankan Police strengthened the security of law courts following the killing of a notorius underworld leader, Dhamikka Amarasingha, in January 2004.

Sri Lanka reintroduced capital punishment in November 2005, following the murder of a high court judge, Mr. Sarath Ambepitiya, by gunmen allegedly linked to drug trafficking.

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