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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
April 14,2020

Bengaluru, Apr 14: Karnataka Labour Department has issued an order instructing public and private establishments not to cut salaries or lay off employees during the lockdown imposed to counter Coronavirus.

In view of Covid-19, there may be incidents where services of employees or workers may be dispensed with on the pretext of the disease or employees may be forced to go on leave without pay, the Ministry of Labour and Employment said.

Legal action will be initiated if any establishment violates this advisory, Labour Department Secretary P Manivannan said in a statement issued here on Tuesday.

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News Network
August 3,2020

Bengaluru, Aug 3: All those who met Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who has tested positive for Covid-19, in the last three-four days will have to be quarantined, Medical Education Minister Sudhakar K said on Monday.

He also said those who came in contact with Yediyurappa in a couple of programmes in the past week are being traced.

Sudhakar, a medical doctor himself, said Yediyurappa has "very mild cough and his chest is clear."

"I think eight to ten days," he told news agency when asked how long the Chief Minister would have to remain in hospital.

Sudhakar said he is also getting himself tested as a few of his office staff had tested positive.

"All those who met the Chief Minister in the last 3-4 days...ideally they should be quarantined till they receive their results/report. Those who came in contact with him in a couple of programmes will have to isolate themselves and subject themselves for testing," the Minister said.

On the Chief Minister meeting Governor Vajubhai Vala, along with Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai last Friday, Sudhakar said as a result "They also become primary contacts. Ideally, they should also be quarantined and tested."

Yediyurappa who was hospitalised on Sunday night after testing positive for Covid-19 was "doing well" and is "clinically stable", the hospital treating him said.

The 77-year old leader is being monitored by a team of doctors at the Manipal hospital here.

"He is doing well, is clinically stable and will be monitored closely by our team," the hospital said in a statement late last night.

"I have tested positive for coronavirus. Whilst I am fine, I am being hospitalised as a precaution on the recommendation of doctors. I request those who have come in contact with me recently to be observant and exercise self-quarantine," Yediyurappa had said in his tweet.

Yediyurappa was in home quarantine a couple of weeks ago, after some staff members in his home office were found infected with the virus. Subsequently, he tested negative for Covid-19.

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News Network
February 16,2020

Mangaluru, Feb 16: An elderly woman from Tamil Nadu was on Saturday reunited with her daughter and son after 14 years at the Mangaluru's White Doves destitute home.

"Mary only knew her name when she came here 10 years ago. Recently, she told us about her home town," Corrine Rusquinha, founder of White Doves told media.
Mary had gone missing 14 years ago from her hometown Kortampet in Tamil Nadu.

"Ten years ago, she was spotted by Mangaluru police who brought her to White Doves home late one evening. Initially, she could only speak Tamil, so it was presumed she was from Tamil Nadu. She was on psychiatric treatment," Rusquinha said.

A few days back, a visiting priest at the White Doves home spoke to Mary in Tamil and asked about her hometown.

"Surprisingly, she could recall the name of her hometown, following which the visiting priest contacted the pastor at Kortampet. Mary's family, including her daughter Gnana Anthony, who is a paramedic student in Coimbatore, was informed about Mary," she said.

Soon after, Gnana and her elder brother came to Mangaluru to take their mother back to their home.

Mary's husband Jhonson, who worked as a cook, had died within a year of losing his wife.

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