Increased security for churches tomorrow

Source:Island

Security will be beefed up for the religious and other ceremonies to mark the second anniversary of the Easter Sunday attacks, which falls tomorrow, Police Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana said.

DIG Rohana said that this directive has been sent to all SDIGs, DIGs, SSPs, SPs and OICs.

“All police officers in charge of divisions must meet religious leaders who are organising these ceremonies and ensure maximum security. Senior officers have been asked to supervise the process.”

Meanwhile, all Catholic schools would be closed tomorrow, Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith said, adding that two minutes of silence will be observed at 8.45 a.m. in all churches. It will be followed by the lighting of candles and oil lamps to commemorate those who died in the attacks.

A special programme will be conducted in St Anthony’s shrine Kochchikade, where the first suicide bomb attack took place. A song written by Professor Sunil Ariyaratne and composed by Rohana Weerasinghe will be sung by Nanda Malini at the event.

Venerable Omalpe Sobitha Thera, A Mawlavi and a Hindu Kurukkal are expected to participate in the event at Kochchikade.