Ratnapura Girl Attack by policeman - Sergeant interdicted

The Police Sergeant, who had allegedly assaulted a woman near the Ratnapura Bus Terminal had been interdicted following an investigation with immediate effect, the Police said.

The Police said investigations were being carried out to take legal action against the officer, who is attached to the Rathnapura police.

A video clip showing a policeman assaulting a woman with a cane near the Ratnapura Bus Stand has gone viral. However, it is said that a complaint has not been lodged against the Sergeant.

Box seats to the Maradhana - Mathara train

Sri Lankan railway has reportedly introduced box seats to the train travelling from Maradana at 6.35 in the morning since yesterday (Sept 20).

The train reaches Matara by 11.00 am and leaves Matara at 2.00 pm to reach Maradana by 6.30 pm. The seats should be reserved according to Sri Lankan Railway and passengers can use the online facility as well. The ticket price from Colombo to Galle is Rs. 800, while a ticket from Matara to Colombo costs Rs. 1000.

The air conditioned compartment consists of 24 seats which can be covered and each seat comprises of facilities to plug lap tops and mobile phone for charging. The compartment also provides space to securely store luggage.

The General Manager of Railways, B.A.P Ariyaratne, who introduced the particular concept has stated the compartment was created to facilitate the people who travel by groups. The restructuring of the compartment has cost Rs 3.2 million.

Another PC House land seized by bank

Hatton National Bank has seized another land owned by PC house after the company failed to pay bank loans reports say. The seized property is located at No. 451, Galle Road, Kolpetty.

At the present several properties of the company have been seized by banks thus. Also, shares owned by the company's founder - Mohommad Rishan and his affiliates too, are reportedly being taken over by other external parties.

According to reports, PC House has become the next isted company to collapse after a similar debacle in Touchwood Investments PLC. Meanwhile, the listed financial company CIFL too is facing a crisis due to lack of accounts details pertaining to 04 quarters.

PC House listed as the first IT company in the CSE in a backdrop where its founders faced many alleges. Also, certain stock brokering companies too, are blamed for the company's fall.

Gayathri Rajapaksha to tie the knot in November

Budding actress Gayathri Rajapaksha is to tie the knot in November. Therefore she is not accepting work in new teledramas. However, she has said that though she gets married she will not bid adieu to acting. She is currently contributing to a new teledrama titled 'Gamdele Sitano’ including 'Hiru Thaniwela' in Hiru TV and another teledrama named 'Arova'.

Athula to be Sugala Devi's husband

Talented singer and musician Athula Adikari is to try his hand in acting, reports say.

He is to appear in Kalum Palitha Mahirathne's latest mini screen creation - 'Deviya Sugala'.

Athula is to appear as the husband of Dilhani Ashokamala, who portrays the role of Sugala Devi - a heroine in Sri Lankan history.

This is the first historic drama created to be Telecast on Hiru TV. Shooting of 'Deviya Sugala' is being done in the Sigiriya and Dambulla areas.

Six Thai women arrested at a brothel in Colpetty

Panadura Walana Anti-Vice Squad has raided a brothel which operated at hotel Juliana in Colpetty yesterday (15). The brothel had been operative in the disguise of a Thai Ayurvedic Spa. Six Thai women had been arrested at the raid along with two Sri Lankans who were in charge of the management of the brothel.

At the time of arrest they had two hundred and fifty thousand rupees in their possession which was declared as their half a day’s income. They had confessed that usually their daily income is around five hundred thousand rupees.

Four customers, two Sri Lankan youths and two Arabians were also apprehended during the raid, and it has been revealed that Arabians used to indulge in the luxuries of the Thai Spa whenever they came to Sri Lanka.

Six Thai women who were arrested had come to Sri Lanka on tourist visa.

One killed and 24 injured in Bandarawela accident : Senthil Thondaman among injured

The UPFA Uva Provincial Council candidate Senthil Thondaman , who was injured in an accident in Bandarawela last night, was admitted to a Private Hospital in Colombo, police said today.

They said the driver of the vehicle who had run away after the accident has surrendered to the Badulla Police and was taken to the Bandarawela  Police Station.

Thirty one people who were injured in the accident are receiving treatment at the Diyatalawa Hospital. A 48-year-old man was killed in the accident.

The victims had been canvassing in the Bandarawela area when Mr. Thondaman’s vehicle had ran them down when the driver accelerated the vehicle apparently by mistake.

Otara sells 44.5% shares of Odel to Softlogic

The Founder of ODEL Sri Lanka Otara Gunewardene and the directors Ajith Gunewardene and Ruchi Gunewardene sold out 44.5 percent of their company shares to Softlogic Holdings PLC an official said.

The shares has been sold for 22 rupees per share to Softlogic at the Colombo Stock exchange. A source said the shares had been sold for about 2.6 billion rupees. Odel Plc is a unit of Malaysia's Parkson Retail Asia Limited.

As at 30th June 2014, Otara held 80.8 mn shares, Ajit 39.4 mn whilst Ruchi held 1.0 mn shares in Odel Plc.Regional department store operator Parkson Retail Asia holds a 47.46 per cent stake in retailer Odel. Odel celebrated 25 years of fashion retail yesterday.

The business which began, incredibly, with the sale of export surplus clothing from the boot of founder Otara Gunewardene’s station wagon when she was in her early twenties, is now a chain of 20 fashion forward stores with annual sales in excess of Rs 4.6 billion. Over the past two and a half decades Odel has emerged as an iconic department store and a brand that is often compared to Harrods and Harvey Nichols, and come to epitomize the definitive lifestyle and shopping experience in Sri Lanka.

Odel recently disclosed plans to enter the Indian market with an aim to retail private labels under its fold through single brand outlets instead of offering the product range through multi-brand outlets.Softlogic Holdings is owned by billionaire businessman Ashok Pathirage, whose group has interests in healthcare and leisure sectors in the country amongst others.

MEDIA STATEMENT ISSUED BY OTARA GUNEWARDENE

I wish to inform the public that I, along with my family members Ajit Gunewardene and Ruchi Gunewardene, have disposed all of our shares in Odel Plc this morning to the Softlogic Group.
I believe that the sale of our shares to the Softlogic Group is in the best interest of Odel Plc, and a natural progression to its continued growth.

Having being nurtured from a simple retail operation from a car boot into one of the largest retail businesses in Sri Lanka during the last twenty five years, Odel Plc now needs to move to the next level of retailing in order to be competitive, locally and globally.

This requires the entry of a larger player with a deep commitment to retailing: which I believe can best be provided by the Softlogic Group, which has a proven history of dynamism and perhaps an unrivalled track record of such operations in Sri Lanka.

Apart from the overall interests of the growth of Odel Plc, my decision to sell out of the company is also based on my personal desire to focus on another passion I dearly treasure in life: the pursuit of a mission to ensure the welfare of animals and the development of the Embark brand which funds such programs.

The sale of my shares in Odel Plc will hopefully provide me with more time and energy to devote to these activities in the future.

I wish to state that I will continue my association with Odel Plc over the foreseeable future , and will provide all assistance and cooperation during the period of transition.

In conclusion, I wish to express my sincere thanks to all my shareholders,customers, stakeholders and all well- wishes who have made this a truly wonderful journey.

I hope that you will continue to support Odel Plc in the future.

Buddhika accepts ‘SL Amu Miris’ challenge

Matara District UNP MP Buddhika Pathirana accepted the SL Amu Miris (Sri Lanka Green Chilies) challenge and chewed up three green chilies within two minutes during a press conference in Colombo today.

The challenge has been initiated to collect funds for the treatment of the kidney patients in the country. The donations will be handed over to the SL aid organisation.

The one who accepts the challenge and eat three green chilies within two minutes have to donate Rs. 100 or any higher amount. If anyone failed to accept the challenge he would have to donate Rs. 1,000 or higher amount according to the rules.       

MP Pathirana was challenged by Anuradha Sennanayake, a member of the SL aid.

MP Pathirana made a donation to the SL aid and challenged Education Service Minister Duminda Dissanayake, UNP MP Palitha Thewarapperuma, Lawyer K. D. Aruna Deepal, Lakbima Journalist Saman Priyankara Nammunige and actor Kawinga Perera.
 

#‎SLAmuMirisChallenge‬

#‎SLAmuMirisChallenge‬

 #‎SLAmuMirisChallenge‬,  Facebook page

  https://www.facebook.com/pages/SL-Amu-Miris-Challenge