Maj. Gen. Janaka Perera no more

A LTTE suicide bomber yesterday blew himself up killing North Central Province Opposition leader Major General Janaka Perera (retd.), his wife and 27 others at the opening ceremony of the new UNP office in Anuradhapura, police said.

Yesterday’s suicide blast was similar to the attack on the former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, where a women suicide bomber bent down and touched his feet while at the same time detonating the bomb strapped to her seventeen years ago.

Eyewitnesses said a cheerful Maj. Gen. Janaka Perera had just opened a new UNP branch office in the Anuradhapura town at the auspicious time of 8.15 a.m., when the attacked occurred.

While he was talking to party officials of the district, a man in a green shirt and black shorts had gone near him and bent down with both hands joined together in salutation and blown himself up.

Among the dead were Dr. Raja Johnpulle the UNP Anurahdapura District organiser, his wife, a TV journalist and four attorneys at law, who were also leading party activists of the district.

Of about 80 injured people admitted to the Anuradhapura Hospital, 15 were in a critical condition, hospital sources said.

Major General K.J.C. Perera (Rtd) RWP RSP VSV USP reds psc, was born on Feb 1, 1947.

He was enlisted to the Sri Lanka Army as an officer Cadet on 20.12.1966. On successful completion of training at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in England, he was Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and posted to 1 Field Engineer Regiment of Corps of Sri Lanka Engineers on 19.12.1968.

He became the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army on 02.04.1999 and the Chief of Staff on 15.06.2000.

He was made a Lieutenant on 19th June 1970. He was promoted to the rank of Captain in 1973, Major in 1977, Lieutenant Colonel in 1986, Colonel in 1988, Brigadier in 1989 and Major General in 1996.

During his 35 years of distinguished service in the Army be held following key appointments: Overall Operation Commander- North, General Officer Commanding - 23 Division, General Officer Commanding- 51 Division, General Officer Commanding- 53 Division, Brigade Commander- 6 Brigade (Welioya), Commander- Reserve Strike Force, Brigade Commander- Independent Brigade Brigade Commander - 24 Brigade, Area Commander - Kurunegala/Puttalam, Commanding Officer- 5 Field Engineer Regiment, Commandant, Army Command and Staff College, Chief Instructor, Sri Lanka Military Academy and Military Liaison Officer, Ministry of Defence.