Indian High Commission vehicle hijacked in Colombo

Colombo, Apr 10: An Indian High Commission luxury van bearing the DPL (diplomatic) number has been hijacked by unknown gunmen after threatening the driver at gun-point in the outskirts of the Sri Lankan Capital.

''The Toyota dolphin van of our Mission bearing the DPL number was on its way to the Bandaranaike International Airport to receive a diplomat returning from India when it was hijacked at gun point near Seeduwa around 1000 hrs (local time) last night,'' a top diplomat of the High Commission told sources over the phone.

The local driver of the van has been released this morning by the gunmen, ''but the whereabouts of the vehicle is not known'', he said.

''Police have already recorded the driver's statement and is proceeding with the probe in this regard,'' the diplomat said.

In August 2005 also a DPL vehicle belonged to a top Indian envoy was hijacked at gun-point when he was on his was way to Colombo from the Central Kandy district.

The local police after several months of investigation found parts of the vehicle from an abandoned house in north-central Kurunagala district.

UNI