Security forces said rumours of suspicious parcels left unattended in Mattakkuliya, Gampaha areas were false.

The Army and the Police requested the public not to panic and carry out their day-to-day activities without a problem.

The Police Media Unit said in a statement that the scare this morning in Mattakuliya was the result of parents and students reacting to a broken-down vehicle that had been parked outside a church and adjacent school in the area since last evening.

The owner of the vehicle was later tracked and reprimanded. Vehicle owners have been clearly advised by the Police display their contact numbers on the windscreen when they leave vehicles unattended.