Quicktakes

Sleuths identify Chandrika8217;s attacker
COLOMBO: Sri Lankan investigators probing last month8217;s abortive assassination bid on President Chandrika Kumaratunga have identified the female suicide bomber and have detained her mother and sister for questioning. They identified the suicide bomber as Gunanayagma Leelalakshmi alias Nandini alias Niro, a resident of the eastern town of Batticaloa.

Explosives seized
ALIBAG: POLICE today seized a large quantity of explosives and arrested four persons hailing from Rajasthan in this connection at Mangaon in Raigad district of Maharashtra. The seized material included 11 kg of ammonium nitrate, 350 gelatine sticks, an operations manual and three rechargeable batteries.

Bihar cold wave
PATNA: A severe cold wave sweeping Bihar for the past few days is reported to have taken a toll of 33 lives and all government and private schools have been closed in view of the weather condition. The government has issued orders for the closure of schools tillJanuary 14.

Naxal surrenders
HYDERABAD: The deputy commander of the Banswada dalam of the banned People8217;s War Group, N Sailu alias Kishore, who carried a reward of Rs two lakh on his head, surrendered before Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police H J Dora here today.

Trader rescued
MATHURA: The district police, in an encounter with some miscreants, freed a Delhi businessman kidnapped by them a fortnight ago.