News

Recent reported sightings of UFOs and aliens in several parts of Sri Lanka have generated an interest among some people about extra-terrestrial life but Police dismiss them as the work of thieves or drug addicts while some villagers say the real culprits are treasure hunters.

Thanamalwila in Moneragala District and Weeriyapura in Badulla District are two such places where people are said to have witnessed the so-called alien sightings and seen unusual footprints and burnt marks on the ground. This resulted in rumours that UFOs had landed in these areas.

But many villagers in Weeriyapura said there were no aliens from outer space but only a group of treasure hunters who believed rumours of treasures at the Sri Bhavana Dhammaramaya temple in Weeriyapura.

“It is quite strange that these so-called aliens wear boots and are dressed in black. They roam around the village at night, knocking on doors, but no robberies are reported. We believe them to be a gang of robbers trying to distract the villagers so that they can accomplish their real purpose which is to rob buried treasures,” said Somapala, a shop owner in Weeriyapura.

A woman resident said many people in the village sleep during the day and keep vigil at night.

“More than 250 villagers are up at night. It has badly affected the normal routine of the villagers. Some monks at the temple have noticed several people running about at night fully clad in black,” she said.

She also said these so- called aliens watch women bathing and peep through windows.

Speaking to The Sunday Times Sarath Gunesekera, a scientist of the Space Application Division at the Arthur C. Clarke Centre said even a high speed space ship coming from the next nearest star Proxima Centauri will take 4.24 light years to reach the Earth.

“It will take around 4200 years, at a speed of 300,000 km per second, to come here. Aliens should come with a mission to achieve which does not include treasure hunting or knocking on doors. We cannot tell they are aliens without concrete, reliable facts,” he said.

He said some people may mistake laser lights or atmospheric phenomena like mirages for UFO sightings.

Dr.Chandana Jayaratne of the Dept of Physics of Colombo University said meteorites were visible during the last few months.

“At present research is being conducted on whether aliens have arrived here or whether these sightings are a fake,” he said.

Badulla police Chief Inspector, C.L.D.M. Wijayapala said maniacs or drug addicts may be trying to create an unnecessary nuisance in the villages or gangs planning robberies may be behind these incidents.

He said the police were on the look-out to apprehend any mischief makers.