Bomb fears in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 August 1998, 03:09 GMT]
A bomb fixed to a bicycle was defused by the bomb disposal squad near a sentry point close to the Batticaloa police station on Bar Road, at Arasady, around 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, said sources in Batticaloa.

The bicycle, which had been left unattended for a few hours had aroused the suspicion of the police at the sentry point.

When investigations revealed that a bomb was fixed to the bicycle, the bomb disposal squad was summoned and the explosive devise was defused. However the loud boom caused when it was defused had led to momentary disquiet in the town.

Though nothing untoward happened, the fact a bomb could be placed almost under the nose of the sentries near the police station, which is in an area under the control of Sri Lankan security forces, was seen as alarming, said sources.

A similar incident occurred last week where an explosive, placed by the sentry point near the clock tower in the heart of Batticaloa town, was defused by the bomb squad.