(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –The Sri Lanka Air Force providing security to the country’s international airport in Katunayake have eased the entry and exit restrictions considering the inconvenience to the passengers.
Air Force Spokesman Group Captain Gihan Seneviratne at the press briefing held at the Media Centre in Kollupitiya, on Thursday (09 May) said the authorities were made aware of the considerable inconvenience to the passengers arriving and departing the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) due to the enhanced security arrangements put into effect from 21st April.
It was learnt that arriving and departing passengers had to walk a considerable distance with their luggage after disembarking from their vehicles or before boarding the vehicles due to the fact that the Sri Lanka Air Force was compelled to prohibit the entrance of vehicular traffic to the airport’s entrances.
However, the Sri Lanka Air Force has now made arrangements to facilitate the entrance of vehicles to the respective gates for drop off and pick up of passengers and to minimize the distance that the passengers had to walk with their baggage.
The airport taxi service will also commence at the exits and passengers will be able to book them at the terminal and board the vehicle just outside. Passengers arriving at the airport can also consult any airport or Air Force official for further information about the new arrangements, the Air Force Spokesman said.
Meanwhile, island wide search operations by the Police and the Tri Forces continued and measures have been taken to provide maximum security to schools.
The Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara during the press briefing said the President has directed to take action against anyone connected with the bombing incident without considering their background. He said that such an arrest was made in Norochcholai where an Assistant Director of Education was taken into custody. His office was also searched and a laptop was taken for investigations.
A police officer who had received an unconfirmed information regarding a security matter, had alerted the higher authorities about an internal correspondence of the Tourism Development Authority which is observed to be circulating in social media sites. Even though it is an unconfirmed information the Tri Forces and Police have taken required security measures. Information has revealed that a woman had taken a photo of the letter and circulated it in the social media. She is a resident of Daladaela in Kanupellala, Badulla and has been working at a firm attached to the Tourism Development Authority. Further investigations will be carried out by the CID into this incident.
The brother and two close associates of the suicide bomber of the Kochchikade church have been taken into custody. They are being held by the CID for investigations, the Police Spokesman said.
Meanwhile, the Navy had arrested a person along with 26 illegally made rubber seals during a search operation carried out at Duke Street in Colombo. A Navy sailor was hospitalized after a motorcyclist had sped away ignoring orders to stop at a Navy checkpoint in Ragama. Navy personnel were able to recover a knife and a helmet belonging to the rider. These items have been handed over to the Ragama Police and they are conducting further investigations. It is reiterated that such acts are considered serious offences under the prevailing Emergency Regulations, said the Navy Spokesman, Lieutenant Commander Isuru Sooriyabandara at the press briefing.
