By DPA
Colombo : A powerful pressure mine ripped through a police jeep injuring three policemen in an area recently captured from the Tamil rebels in eastern Sri Lanka, a military spokesman said Tuesday.
The mine went off in Karadiyanarua, Batticaloa, 280 km east of the capital, as the policemen were returning after inspecting a new police station opened in the area to restore civil administration in the region, he said.
Government troops in a major military offensive carried out over the last six months in the eastern province claimed to have captured the entire region by dislodging the rebels from the area.
Police officers based in the area said it was not immediately clear whether the mine had been planted targeting the jeep or had been buried earlier before the operations were carried out.
Hospital sources said that the condition of one of the injured policemen was serious.
Civilians living in the region fear that rebels may infiltrate the area and carry out fresh attacks on the security forces, but the government claims the eastern province is firmly in the control of the security forces.