The officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Wattala police station, who was arrested for alleged breach of trust involving a court production in his custody, was remanded till May 15 by the Wattala Magistrate’s Court today. 

“The Education Ministry is in the process of eliminating such opportunities,” the UNP MP told media at a press briefing.(AdaDerana) 

Canada says it expects Sri Lanka to make a full investigation of the murder of a Canadian citizen in northern Sri Lanka last week. Reports say Anthonypillai Mahendrarajah, of Sri Lankan Tamil origin, was killed when he went to reclaim property lost during the war.

His properties were said to be in Kilinochchi, the town that became the headquarters for Tamil Tiger rebels.

Sri Lanka’s army defeated separatist rebels in 2009 after 26 years of war.

The Canadian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Bruce Levy, told the BBC that Mr Mahendrarajah was apparently murdered by a group of men just outside Kilinochchi.

For years the Tamil Tiger headquarters, the town is now heavily guarded by the military.

Mr Levy said he had sent a formal note to the government saying a full investigation of last week’s killing was needed and Canada would be tracking its progress.

Building a house

Media reports and sources in northern Sri Lanka said villagers reported seeing men in balaclavas attack Mr Mahendrarajah. He had struggled with his killers and his genitals were mutilated.

He is said to have been the wealthy owner of shops in Kilinochchi who fled and settled in Canada during the war years. His properties were taken over by the Tamil Tigers and are reportedly now in the hands of a Sri Lankan supermarket chain and other businesses.

He had returned to the country to reclaim his land and had started building a house on it when he was killed.

The police spokesman declined to comment much but told the BBC four teams of investigators had been deployed but no-one had yet been arrested.

This week the Sri Lankan government said it would welcome and accept refugees wanting to return from overseas but incidents like this are likely to put many off, BBC reports. 

Enquiries reveal that the company was under watch for at least the past 5 years. Even then, it has been able to bring in people with impunity, and with no fear of law, either in India or in Sri Lanka. In fact, the company has been placed in the ‘prior approval’ category by the Protector General of Emigrants here, and also in India. – (The Hindu) 

The petitioner had requested that the enjoining order be issued, citing that the lives of patients were in danger due to not receiving proper treatment as a result of the strike action launched by doctors. 

The inaugural edition of the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) Twenty20 tournament will be played from August 10 to 31, Sri Lanka Cricket announced on Thursday.

The matches are to take place at the Premadasa stadium here and at the Pallekele stadium in the central district of Kandy.

“International players will be playing in the SLPL alongside Sri Lankan national cricketers and young Lankan hopefuls,”SLC said.

The first edition of SLPL will feature seven provincial teams which will adhere to a compulsory ruling of no more than six overseas players in each squad.

However, it will be mandatory for each team to field only four overseas players in the playing eleven whilst the remaining seven players will all be Sri Lankans with one player, out of the said seven players, will be an under-21 player.

Each of the provinces would feature a player unique to the province.

The teams will be Basnahira (Western) Bears, Kandurata (central hill) Kites, Nagenahira (eastern) Nagas, Ruhuna (southern) Rhinos, Uthura (north) Oryxes, Uva (south eastern) Unicorns, Wayamba (north central) Wolves.

The SLPL was supposed to kick off last year, with SLC`s then interim committee signing a five-year deal with the Singapore-based Somerset Entertainment Ventures to organise the event.

 
However, the SLC was forced to postpone the event after the BCCI refused to allow its cricketers to participate in the SLPL as it suspected a link between the sponsors and Lalit Modi, the former IPL commissioner.

The SLC officials said they were confident of the participation of Indian and Pakistani players in the SLPL, which will precede the ICC T20 World Cup hosted here between September 18 and October 7. (PTI) 

Student transfers among National schools for Advanced Level classes have been prevented by the Ministry through a circular, the Minister of Education, Bandula Gunawardena stated.