Confusion over STF raid, attack on PC in Anamaduwa
Five senior area police chiefs including Senior Deputy Inspector General in charge of the North Western Province Lalith Pathinayake have been transferred without any roles being assigned, with immediate effect.
These transfers were based on an investigation related to an attack by a team of Police Special Task Force (STF) officers on a constable of the Nawagaththegama Police at Anamaduwa.
This transfer order was given on March 28 by the Inspector General of Police (IGP). Senior DIG Lalith Pathinayake has been transferred to Police Headquarters.
The other officers who have been transferred are Puttalam DIG S.M.Y.M. Seneviratne, SSP Pushpakumara, in charge of the Puttalam Division, Anamaduwa ASP H.M.C.P. Herath and Anamaduwa OIC Chief Inspector Nilantha R. Bandara.
These four officers have been transferred to the Police Field Force Headquarters.
The origin of this situation is that on March 22 the Anamaduwa police had received a complaint that a police constable who was working at Nawagaththegama Police had been attacked and
kidnapped by a group of officers of the Puttalam camp of the Special Task Force and abandoned in a cemetery. This police officer complained about this to the Puttalam police and had undergone treatment in the hospital.
Police Constable W. M. Karunathilake (56) had been assaulted and abducted thus. Anamaduwa Police had conducted an investigation regarding this incident. It had become apparent that a team of officers from the Special Task Force Puttalam camp had gone for a cannabis raid and were waiting in a three-wheeler and a motorcycle near this particular police officer’s house. Investigations also revealed that the police constable was attacked and kidnapped and left in the cemetery due to the fact that he had gone to inquire why a group of civilians had been idling near his house for a long time.
While the investigation related to this complaint was being conducted, there had been an attempt to resolve this incident, but since there had been no favourable response from the constable involved, the Anamaduwa police officers had to enforce the law.
Based on this situation, five officers of the Police Special Task Force, who were charged with the assault on Tuesday (28), have surrendered to the Anamaduwa Police Station.
Officers of the Police Special Task Force had handed over the three-wheeler and the motorcycle which they had been using at the time, to the Anamaduwa Police Station. Police information
stated that the motorcycle and the three-wheeler have been submitted as evidence.
Two police inspectors, a sergeant and two constables were among the STF officers who surrendered to the police. The Anamaduwa Police have taken steps to produce the five officers before the Anamaduwa Magistrate’s Court and the five suspects had been remanded till April 3.
The Special Task Force has alleged that the police constable was not assaulted or abducted. They have mentioned that this is an incident made up by the police. According to police information
due the failure to conduct a formal investigation and submit a report on the matter, has resulted in the North Western Province Police Chiefs being transferred.
However, the Inspector General of Police has issued an order to the Police Special Investigation Bureau day on Tuesday (28) to conduct an investigation to uncover the real situation in connection with this incident. Accordingly, a special team of officers of the Special Investigation Bureau had gone to Anamaduwa early yesterday morning (29) and commenced investigations.