On duty, armed - and drunk

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 December 1998, 18:18 GMT]
Batticaloa was tense this evening as shots were fired in the heart of the town from the upper floor of the Orient Hotel building in front of the Police quarters. Military trained Policemen and SLA soldiers took cover in their bunkers as the firing commenced.

The special military-Police team which inched its way upstairs at the Orient Hotel building in the maximum security zone found a Policeman, GRJK Bandara, 29, drunk out of his mind with an automatic assault rifle in his hand.

He was soon overpowered and was taken to the Batticaloa hospital for treatment.

Police sources in Batticaloa said that investigations are under as to how Bandara got drunk while on duty with his weapon.