Monday, March 2, 2009

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Six Lankan players injured in Lahore terror attack


Lahore, March 03: In a shocking incident, the Sri Lankan cricket team which is in Lahore to play the second Test was attacked upon by a gang of highly trained terrorists early on Tuesday, injuring at least six players.The Sri Lankan Sports Minister, Lokuke Gamini, has confirmed to the reporters that six of the players were injured and taken to hospital. The injured players are: Thilan Samaraweera, Tharanga Paranavitana, Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Thushara.The extent of injuries is still not clear but reports filtered in that some players were hit by bullets and sharpnels, grievously injuring them. Father of the outgoing team skipper Mahela Jayawardene said his son had just called his wife from Lahore to say that he too had suffered minor injuries in his leg during the attack that had shocked the nation.
How It Happened ?
As per initial reports the attack happened outside the Gaddafi stadium when the team was passing through the Liberty roundabout. A group of gunmen (Reportedly 12 in number), armed with automatic weapons, were waiting there in a white car, then resorted to indiscriminate firing at the convoy and even fired rocket launchers.Seven policemen have lost their lives while two other are reportedly injured.Some of the slain policemen have been identified: Zafar Khan, Mudassar, Tipu Sultan and Tanvir Ahmed.
Tour Cancelled......
The Sri Lankan cricket board has cancelled the tour with immediate effect while the encounter with the unidentified gunmen is still going on.
Striking Similarities with Mumbai Attacks.......
The authorities are suspecting it as a handiwork of one Pakistan’s many active terror groups. Punjab Governor, Salmaan Tahseer, while confirming the incident claimed that the attackers were highly trained and bore resemblance to the Mumbai terror attacks in the way it was executed.In the meanwhile, the Pakistan police have released the sketches of the assailants and it has been confirmed that they had automatic weapons.Incidentally, media reports claimed that the police knew of a plan to attack the team and hence the route taken by the convoy today was kept a secret but it seems that the terrorists had better information.A witness told reporters he believed two police commandos were killed along with a regular policeman and a traffic warden. Shopkeeper Ahmed Ali said the two police commandos had been driving behind the team bus when they were hit."It was a very heavy firing and I heard at least two explosions at the time," said a witness who had been on his way to cover the test match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.Pakistan only invited the Sri Lanka team to tour after India's team pulled out with security concerns following the militant attacks on the Indian city of Mumbai in November.

Sri Lanka cricketers wounded in shooting


Gunmen in Pakistan opened fire on a vehicle carrying members of Sri Lanka's national cricket team, killing five police officers and wounding at least eight team members, officials say.
Tuesday's attack in Lahore came at a time of unrest in both Pakistan and Sri Lanka, both battling insurgencies but it was unclear who was behind the carefully coordinated assault.
City police chief Haji Habibur Rehman said five policemen died in the shooting.
The attack was likely the work of "well-trained terrorists", he said.
Eight members of the Sri Lankan team were injured near Gaddafi Stadium, Pakistan Cricket Board security official Nadeem Iqbal said.
Sri Lankan team manager Brendon Kruppu confirmed the incident and said batsman Kumar Sangakkara, was among the injured.
Sri Lankan Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge named two injured players as Tharanga Paranavitana and Thilan Samaraweera and said they were taken to hospital in Lahore after the shooting.
Skipper Mahela Jayawardena was slightly wounded in the foot, his father told a local television station after speaking with him by telephone.
The team bus came under fire as the players headed to the Gaddafi stadium for the third day of the second Test against Pakistan.
"We are assessing the situation," Pakistan cricket board chief Ejaz Butt said.
Security concerns have plagued Pakistan for years and some foreign sports teams including from Australia have refused to play in the troubled nation.
Sri Lanka agreed to tour - allowing Pakistan to host its first test cricket matches in 14 months - after India and Australia postponed scheduled tours.