Drug gangs behind Sri Lanka Easter bombings, president claims
Colombo, Jul 15: International drug syndicates orchestrated Sri Lanka's deadly Easter Sunday bombings, the country's leader claimed Monday, despite earlier blaming the attacks on Islamists.
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 Jamaath (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.
A spokesman for Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe discounted the president's claims.
"Police completed the investigations within about two weeks," Sudarshana Gunawardana told AFP.
"There is no mention of drug dealers being involved. We have no reason to doubt our investigators."
He said speedier justice would be a bigger deterrent to drug traffickers than the threat of capital punishment.
"We don't believe hanging people will address the issue, especially considering that it takes several decades to get a conviction."
Sri Lankan courts take on average 17 years to complete criminal trials for grave offences such as murder and rape.
Gunawardana said Wickremesinghe was opposed to capital punishment as it was against the policy of his United National Party, and noted that there was cross-bench support in the legislature to completely abolish it.
Police officials said investigations into the April 21 suicide bombings were still ongoing, and all the more than 100 people in custody were Sri Lankans.
"We are going on the basis that this was a crime planned and executed by a group of radicalised Sri Lankan Muslims," a senior police official told AFP, asking not to be named.
"Everyone involved in the attacks is either dead or in custody."
Sirisena has marshalled public support for an end to the moratorium on the death penalty, 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 Lankan courts routinely hand down death sentences to drug offenders, murderers and rapists but it is automatically commuted a term of life imprisonment.
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.
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BESCOM to organise EV expo for Secretariat employees in Jan 2025
Bengaluru (PTI): To encourage the adoption of electric vehicles (EV), Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) announced on Friday that a special EV fair will be organised for the Secretariat employees in January 2025.
During a meeting at the BESCOM office, Managing Director Mahantesh Bilagi said, "The fair is being organised following a directive of Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh and will be conducted under the supervision of Energy Minister K J George and Additional Chief Secretary of the Energy Department Gaurav Gupta."
According to him, the event aims to educate attendees about the benefits of environmentally friendly EVs and to encourage the adoption of two-wheeled EVs.
"During the fair, dealer discounts to government employees, particularly those in the Secretariat will also be offered. There will also be opportunities for practical demonstrations of the vehicles at the exhibition site," added Bilagi.
He said the Secretariat employees will also benefit from no down payment and low-interest loans to purchase the EV vehicles.
"EV companies are eager to participate and the sales will extend beyond the exhibition, continuing in the future," the Managing Director said.
The state, particularly Bengaluru, has the highest electric vehicle (EV) users, said Bilagi, adding that to support this, the Energy Department has provided essential infrastructure.
"BESCOM's efforts in promoting EV usage have been recognised with the 'Charge India 2024 Excellence' award. This award is a testament to our commitment to establishing excellent charging facilities. Karnataka has the country's most public electric vehicle charging stations, with a total of 5,765 stations, of which 4,462 are located in the Bengaluru Urban district," said Bilagi.
The Secretariat Employees' Association president Ramesh Sanga and other office-bearers, BESCOM Technical Director H J Ramesh as well as senior officials attended the meeting.
