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Drug gangs behind Sri Lanka Easter bombings, reveals President

coastaldigest.com web desk
July 15, 2019

Colombo, Jul 15: International drug syndicates orchestrated Sri Lanka's deadly Easter Sunday bombings, the country's top leader revealed today. The government had initially blamed the attacks on terror groups that operate in the name of Islam.

The statement comes amid a nationwide narcotics crackdown, with President Maithripala Sirisena aiming to reintroduce capital punishment for drug offences.

Authorities have said local jihadist group National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ) were responsible for the suicide bombings in churches and hotels that killed at least 258 people in April. The attacks were later claimed by the Islamic State group.

Sirisena's office said the day after the bombings that local terrorists and international terror groups were responsible for the attacks.

But in a statement issued by his office Monday, Sirisena said the attacks "were the work of international drug dealers".

"Drug barons carried out this attack to discredit me and discourage my anti-narcotics drive. I will not be deterred," he said.

Sirisena is waging a battle against efforts by his governing coalition in parliament to abolish capital punishment, which has been subject to a moratorium since 1976.

Sri Lankan courts routinely hand down death sentences to drug offenders, murderers and rapists but it is automatically commuted a term of life imprisonment.

The president has marshalled public support for an end to the moratorium, saying that hangings would deter the illegal drugs trade.

"If the government brings legislation to abolish capital punishment, I will declare a day of national mourning," Sirisena said in the statement, adding that public opinion favoured hanging condemned criminals.

He said the leading Buddhist monk Omalpe Sobitha had advised him to resume hangings and not to abandon his war on narcotics.

Sri Lanka's Supreme Court earlier this month suspended Sirisena's moves to hang four drug convicts. The court banned any executions until it rules on a petition seeking a declaration that hanging breaches the country's constitution.

The next hearing in the case is in October.

Sri Lanka's last hangman retired in 2014, but officials said they had selected two new executioners from a pool of candidates.

Comments

ABDUL AZIZ
 - 
Tuesday, 16 Jul 2019

ALHAMDULILLAH, TRUTH PREVAILED AND EVIL PERISHED,   PUNISH THE CRIMINALS AND MURDERERS SOON , DONT BLAME MUSLIMS,    ISLAM is peacefull religion,  dont blame muslims as terrorists, 

 

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News Network
May 26,2020

Bengaluru, May 26: The state government today hinted that places of religious worship belonging to Hindus will be allowed to reopen from June 1, keeping social distancing and other norms in place.

In principle, the government has decided to open temples coming under the Muzrai department after Lockdown 4.0 ends on May 31. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.

“Movement of people on air and rail has started. We have been receiving repeated pleas from devotees that temples should be opened. When this was discussed with the CM during a review of the Muzrai department, it was decided that temples can start from June 1,” Muzrai Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary told reporters. 

Poojary said all day-to-day activities will be allowed in temples. “But religious fairs and ceremonies will not be permitted,” he said. 

Mosques and churches

Asked whether his government will allow opening of mosques and churches too from June 1, he replied that they don't come under his Muzrai dept.

Howvever, government sources said this may apply to mosques, churches and other places of religious worship as well. However, this decision will be subject to whether or not the Centre will allow places of religious worship to be open for the public after Lockdown 4.0, an official said. 

All places of religious worship have been closed for the public ever since Karnataka enforced a state-wide lockdown on March 24 to contain COVID-19. 

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News Network
April 30,2020

Bengaluru, Apr 30: Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, has directed the Bengaluru City Police to return all the vehicles, which were seized during the Coronavirus Lockdown period, for having flouted rules.

The City Police Commissioner, Bhaskar Rao, informed that it was decided to return the seized vehicles to the owners, after verifying documents.

He said that the vehicles had been seized while enforcing strict guidelines, issued to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, in the city.

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News Network
January 13,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 13: RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat on Monday held a protest march at Ramnagar district’s 
Kapalabetta under the aegis of Hindu Jagran Vedike’s ‘Kanakapura Chalo’ campaign against the construction of the world’s largest Jesus statue there.

Hundreds of protesters of the Vedike staged a protest march in the city starting from the Kanakapura Ayyappaswamy temple.

“We are not here to disturb the peace. We have met each other at the wedding of Sriramulu’s daughter. So you know who I am, DK Shivakumar. How long will you continue with these lies? Is the intention behind the statue of Jesus to solidify your vote bank? Build the statue in America or England, we will not allow it here,” said the RSS leader as the keynote speaker at the rally.

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