News
Bus blast: Govt. Analyst report in two weeks, Military Court findings in a few days
The army officer who allegedly carried the grenade that exploded on board the Diyathalawa, Hebarawa bound bus was seated between two other army officers– a Military Police officer on his left and a fellow army officer on his right, preliminary police investigations have revealed.
The remains of the bus. Pix by G K Krishanthan and Reka Tharangani
According to Police, the Military Police Officer, an eyewitness to the incident, had said that they were seated three seats behind the driver’s seat and that the moment the two Army Officers stood up to get off at Kahagolla he heard something fall off from the Army Officer seated next to him.
He said it was about 5.25 a.m. and he could not identify the specific object because of the lack of light.
Bandarawela Division, Superintendent of Police Sudath Masinghe told the Sunday Times that the army officer in question and the other officers had boarded the Jaffna – Bandarawela bus from Matale on Tuesday (20) and had then boarded the Hebarawa – Diyatalawa bus in Bandarawela on Wednesday (21) at 5.15 a.m. along with civilian passengers.
According to SP Masinghe the officer with the grenade was a Sergeant Major in the Army and the officer in charge of stores in the Kahagolla Army camp. The seven soldiers on board the bus were reporting for work after a holiday.
“The police report reveals that the officer believed to be carrying the greande had sustained injuries on both legs, right hand, chest area and abdomen. The other army officer’s left leg had to be amputated while the Military Police Officer had also sustained serious injuries on his right leg,” SP Masinghe said.
A Senior Police Official said that the 19 people injured comprised the seven army officers, five Air Force officers and seven civilians.
Meanwhile the Government Analyst, A. Welianga while confirming that the explosion was caused by a hand grenade said the final report on the incident would be ready in two weeks.
Police Media Spokesman, Ruwan Gunasekara has also said that the current stage of investigation has identified that a hand grenade which was in possession of an Army officer had exploded.
A high level six-member Military Court of Inquiry (COI) headed by Major General Rukmal Dias has also been appointed by Army Commander Mahesh Senanayake to investigate the explosion.
Military spokesman Brigadier Sumith Atapattu said that the COI will be investigating the degree and nature of the injuries of every passenger and also the status of duty of the Army officer in qustion during the time of the incident–that if the suspect had been on duty or not.
The Court of Inquiry is expected to submit its findings within a few days to the Army Commander, he said.
Other serving members in the Court of Inquiry are Brigadier E.R.P Weerawardane, Brigadier P.M.L Chandrasiri, Colonel P.P.A Perera, Lieutenant Colonel H.D.J.P Weeratunga, and Major N.A.B.M.S Nishanka.
Meanwhile Diyatalawa Base Hospital Director Dr. Ranjith Amarakoon said that as of Friday (23), one civilian, five Army Officers and two Air Force officers were undergoing treatment. He added that the two Army Officers who had sustained serious injuries were still in a critical condition.
The injured being treated