Sri Lankan police personnel station in several areas across Jaffna have had their leave cancelled, as the security presence in the peninsula is increased.

The Daily Mirror reports that in Koppay, Chunnakam and Mannipay, the Sri Lankan Police’s Senior DIG in Jaffna cancelled leave for officers, with “special police operations” underway.

The announcement comes as the police announced a ‘special’ motorcycle police team has been deployed in Jaffna to deal with rising violent crimes.

A former LTTE cadre's home in Kilinochchi was attacked in the early hours of Wednesday.

The home of K. Sivakumar in Vaddakkachchi was attacked around 2.30am by unknown persons. His motorbike was also damaged.

When Mr Sivakumar went to Tharmapuram Police Station to report the attack, he was told to come back later as there were no Tamil-speaking police officers.

He was again turned away when he went back, with police saying the incident occurred under the catchment of Ramanathapuram Police.

The complaint was finally filed at Ramanathapuram Police Station.

A ‘special’ motorcycle police team has been deployed in Jaffna to deal with rising violent crimes in the district.

The Assistant Superintendent of Jaffna Police Station said that the team had been deployed to patrol areas including Jaffna, Koppay, Manippay and Chunnakam.

The Assistant Superintendent said a further 100 civil police officials had been engaged in duty too and that the police aimed to crackdown on crime in one or two weeks.

The association of Tamil families of the disappeared based in Amparai opened a district office in Thirukkovil on Wednesday.

The office will serve as a base for the districts families of the disappeared to organise and campaign.

Mahinda Rajapaksa’s former Chief of Staff and three others have been issued notices to appear before a Special High Court this month.

Sri Lanka’s Attorney General last week filed indictments against former president Mahinda Rajapaksa's Chief of Staff Gamini Senarath along with former Executive Director of Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation (SLIC) Piyadasa Kudabalage, Director General of the Samurdhi Development Department Neil Bandara Hapuhinna and Lasantha Bandara.

They were charged of illegally investing Rs. 500 million of public funds in private hospitality companies without cabinet approval.

The Sri Lankan army announced that it had helped repair the roof of a Tamil primary school in Mullaitivu, as criticism over its involvement in civilian activities continues. 

The Sri Lankan government is to call for fresh bids to explore Mannar and Cauvery basin, the government spokesperson was quoted by EconomyNext as saying today. 

The announcement comes following a Cabinet meeting this week where the proposal, by Arjuna Ranatunga, was approved. 

Indian and Singaporean companies had previously expressed an interest in exploring oil in the Mannar basin. 

Cairn India stopped natural gas exploration in Mannar in 2015 after the petroleum price dropped internationally. 

Sahathevan Nilakshan, the up and coming Tamil journalist who was shot and killed by suspected Sri Lankan military intelligence personnel on August 1st, 2007 was remembered today eleven years on by fellow media workers and his family. 

Nilakshan was 22 years old when he was gunned down outside his home in Jaffna. 

The Sri Lankan government today raised import tax on small hybrid cars by over 50% in an effort to raise revenue for the state. 

“The government needs to find extra money for the additional expenditure incurred because of the recent salary hikes to doctors and railway employees,” the Director of Information at the Ministry of Finance, M.Ali Hassen was quoted by Reuters as saying. 

The Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland arrived in Sri Lanka today as part of a four day official visit of the island. 

Ms Scotland, who met with the Sri Lankan prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Foreign Affairs Minister, Tilak Marapana today, is expected to meet with the leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), R Sampanthan tomorrow.