How an explosives - laden lorry was stopped and stripped
The police officer who prevented a possible carnage in Puttalam recounts the events that unfolded last week at a checkpoint in Nikeweratiya
Text and pix by Hiran Priyankara
Jayasinghe
The alert police officer, whose prompt action led to the detection of the biggest ever haul of explosives in a lorry last Friday was substituting for a sick colleague, when the detection was made at a checkpoint at Kotavehara Palugas junction in Nikeweratiya.
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Map of the incident |
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D.H.M.Prematillaka |
Recalling the events of that day D.H.M.Prematillaka who was manning the checkpoint along with three others said, “Around 3.30 p.m. we noticed a lorry approaching the roadblock and we waved it down. When I asked the driver for the vehicle documents, he handed over a file cover. Inside the cover along with the documents were a few 100 rupee notes and the driver told me in broken Sinhala, ‘sir you keep that with you.
“I had a glance at the documents and they were all in order. I looked at the vehicle and didn’t notice anything unusual. However I felt suspicious as to why the driver was trying to bribe me,” said Sgt Prematillake an officer with years of experience. He had also asked another driver of a lorry who was in the vicinity whether there was anything suspicious in the body of the lorry and his answer was in the negative.
“I then told the others to unload the coconuts that were inside the lorry and I proceeded to check inside the engine, but I didn’t find anything suspicious there either. However I was still suspicious especially since the lorry was travelling from Vavuniya.
“When someone climbed to the top of the lorry and started inspecting it, the driver came close to me and said, ‘sir I told you there is nothing suspicious, please allow us to proceed.’”
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The boxes into which the explosives were packed |
“I then used a metal rod to tap at various places and I heard a strange sound. I got a tool from a nearby garage and loosened some of the bolts and noticed some black wire. I again consulted that other driver and I asked him whether it was usual to have such thick wires inside a lorry and he said no it was not usual,” Sgt Prematillake said.
“At this point I noticed the cleaner of the lorry trying to make a get-away. He and the driver were placed under guard and the search proceeded,” he said.
“At this point a young boy who was standing around informed me that his brother who was attached to the bomb squad was at home on leave and he could bring him along. At this point the OIC also joined us and he informed the Puttalam bomb defusing unit.
The army officer who was called in also confirmed that those were explosives,” Sgt. Prematillake said.
The OIC Channaka Kobbewela told The Sunday Times as he had experience in working in operational areas he took steps to evacuate the people in the area and close the road and the shops in the vicinity.
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Where the boxes packed with eplosives were concealed in the lorry |
Investigations have revealed that the lorry may have been intended for a suicide attack on a passing out parade which took place the next day at the Vijayabha army training school in Puttalam.
Around 338 soldiers passed out with around 6,000 people in attendance, many of them family members or friends of the recruits. At least 50-60 of these men are to be selected to join the special forces.
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OIC Channaka Kobbewela |
A suicide attack in close proximity to where the passing out parade took place would have caused heavy casualties as it is only 50 metres away from the main road, police said.
The lorry was laden with more than 1300 kilograms of C-4 explosives packed inside 42 boxes.
Investigations are underway to determine the location where the explosives were packed into the lorry.
The Police Department has decided to reward all those who were involved in the detection while Sgt. Prematilleke will be promoted to the rank of Sub Inspector. |