( June 22, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Thirteen thugs arrested over the recent incident in Aluthgama have been released over politicians' orders and this has deeply concerned senior police officers, sources from the police headquarters say.
On inquiring further, 'Sri Lanka Mirror', a news portal based in Colombo, learnt the following :
The thugs, who had vandalised Muslim trade shops in Aluthgama on June 15 were arrested by Kalutara District DIG V. Indran over the orders of DIG Anura Senanayake.
Subsequently, they were brought to the Aluthgama police. While the police were obtaining a statement from them, DIG Indran has received a phone call from an advisor of the Defence Ministry and and a high placed official of the state intelligence service, who has told the DIG to release the 13 suspects immediately.
Strongly rejecting to comply, DIG Indran has said that the suspects would be produced before court as proof existed that the suspects were linked to the attack.
At a gathering of government bigwigs led by the Prime Minister in Kalutara on the following day, a group of Buddhist monks has pressurised the gathering, threatening to take to the streets if the suspects were not released.
There, a powerful minister has phoned the DIG Gamini Navaratne, ordering him to release the suspects immediately.
Accordingly, DIG Gamini Navaratne has ordered DIG Indran to release the suspects immediately. DIG Indran has expressed his strong objection towards releasing the suspects.
This has led to a heated verbal exchange between the two and DIG Indran has said that he would file a human rights complaint over the pressurisation at the Supreme Court.
However, DIG Gamini Navaratne had used is powers and released the suspects. He has also submitted a charge sheet against DIG Indran to the IGP.
Accordingly, DIG Indran has been relieved of his supervision duties within the Aluthgama and Beruwala police divisions with immediate effect.
Supervision of Aluthgama and Beruwala have been handed over to brought under the supervision of DIG Traffic, Amarasiri Senaratne until further notice.
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