Death toll rises to 359, unattended bikes checked

The death toll in the series of blasts that rocked Catholic churches and Colombo hotels and outskirts on Easter Sunday has risen to 359 as of yesterday evening.

Police jointly with the Security Forces investigating these deadly attacks yesterday morning arrested 18 suspects from Aluthgama, Dharga Town, Beruwala and Katuwapitiya in Negombo.Police sources confirmed that six suspects were arrested from Katuwapitiya where over 100 were killed in a suicide blast on Easter Sunday.

Over 60 persons have so far been arrested in connection with the Easter Sunday attacks and 32 of them are being questioned by the CID and four suspects are held by the TID.

A suspicious unattended parcel found in a restaurant at Thimbirigaskatuwa, Katana was exploded in a controlled manner by security personnel last morning, police spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekera said.

According to him a suspicious parcel was found by police officers of Katana police following a search operation carried out on a tip-off last morning. Later the suspicious parcel was exploded in a controlled manner by the Air Force Bomb Squad after transporting the parcel to a safer location.

A suspicious scooter without an owner parked near the Savoy cinema was examined by the STF bomb squad to ascertain whether there were explosives. Having opened its seat with a minor explosion by the STF, it was revealed that there was no explosives. Another two suspicious motor cycles parked opposite the Police Headquarters and on First Cross Street, Pettah were examined by the STF bomb squad officers last morning. Meanwhile another suspicious motorcycle left unattended at the Gas Works Junction, Pettah for a long period was exploded in a controlled manner by STF officers.

The police team after thoroughly examining a house in Warakapola recovered four walkie-talkies and a motorcycle.

Uva Province Deputy Inspector General Jagath Palihakkara said 54 persons have been taken into custody on suspicion following a search operation carried out jointly by police and army personnel from the Welimada and Haputale areas.