Aranayake water pipe fire: Suspect students get bail to sit OLs

Six students arrested over an incident of allegedly setting fire to a stock of pipes at the Asupini Ella Water Scheme in Kegalle were released on a surety bail of Rs.100,000 each by the Mawanella Magistrate’s Courts.

They were ordered to be present in courts on August 8.

A sudden fire had broken out in the Aranayaka Ussapitiya PS grounds where the water pipes of the Asupini Ella Water Project were stored recently.

The water pipes that were to be laid for a distance about 20 kilometers were destroyed. The police said the value of the stock was nearly Rs.50 million.

Earlier, police had arrested six school students in relation to the incident and the police said five of them are sitting for the GCE Ordinary Level exam today.

The Aranayaka Police had interrogated six school students regarding the incident.

The group of students are reportedly studying in Grade 11 of two schools which are close to the ground.

These children police say are heavily addicted to smoking and had used the playground for the purpose often.

The students had used to hide matchboxes and cigarettes inside the pipes.

On the day of the incident too they had smoked near the pipes and the police believe the fire broke out after the students left matchboxes and parts of the cigarettes they smoked inside the pipes.