COLOMBO: Police in Sri Lanka on Saturday asked members of the public to hand over swords or other large knives to the nearest police station after a haul of such blades were recovered from mosques and homes during searches following the Easter Sunday suicide bomb attacks.
Announcing the amnesty scheme, police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara that the knives which are used for day-to-day “domestic” and “justifiable” purposes were not required to be handed over to police.
Apart from large blades, Gunasekara said that police and army uniforms or such camouflaged materials, which are in possession with the common people should also be hand over to the police.
“This will be in effect from today until tomorrow”, he said, adding, “If you are having police or camouflaged military uniforms, please hand them over to the nearest police station”.
The move came after police recovered a large haul of weapons, including swords, and camouflaged materials during searches of mosques and houses following the Easter Sunday’s suicide attacks, which claimed 250 lives.
According to the police, several people including politicians were arrested for possession of sharp-edged weapons like swords since the crackdown began to arrest the suspects and their network, following the blasts.
Gunasekera also requested the relatives of the bomb blast victims to assist the police in performing DNA tests to identify around 56 bodies, laying unclaimed in the judicial medical officer’s mortuary.
“Relatives of anyone missing since April 21 who might have been in areas of explosions, please inform the nearest police stations,” Gunasekera said.
The police said that a special security arrangements have been made for the re-opening of schools.
“We will carry out a thorough search of all schools during tomorrow. There will be special parking arrangements nears the schools to ensure safety,” he said.
The schools were to reopen on April 29 but it was extended till May 6.
Doubts were being raised if the security situation was favourable for the reopening of schools.
However, the Archbishop of Colombo has instructed the not to commence their terms until further notice.
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