Police fire at teak lorry, driver held after chase

A lorry, transporting nine logs of teak without a permit, was taken into Police custody and the driver (49) was arrested on Tuesday and given police bail.

The lorry driver had not stopped when two police officers, who were on traffic control duty on the Kandy-Colombo main road, signalled to stop near the 14th mile post.

As the lorry sped, the two police officers had chased it by a police motorcycle, and had opened fire at the lorry.

The driver had then stopped, and the Police found that he was transporting teak logs, from an estate in Weliweriya to a sawmill in Ganemulla, without a permit.

Yakkala Police said the driver, a resident of Welipillewa, Ganemulla, would be produced before Court on January 9, after the Forest Conservation Department sends its report on the teak logs.