PM assures action against errant police officers

Uditha Kumarasinghe and Irangika Range

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayaka told Parliament yesterday that the Government has no intention whatsoever to defend police officers connected to the assassination of two youth in Angulana and the assault on a Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) student.

“When the humanitarian operations were launched by the Armed Forces, the Police also jointly acted with them to eradicate terrorism. However, these two recent incidents have tarnished the image of the police. The Government never approves such incidents or defend those who are behind them,” he said.

“At present both incidents are before Courts,” the Prime Minister said. The Government will take every possible action against errant police officers having any involvement in these two incidents, he said.

The Prime Minister was responding to a statement made by Chief Opposition Whip Joseph Michael Perera.

He categorically denied the statement made by the Chief Opposition Whip alleging a killing spree in the south and said the Government would not provide any room to create such a situation.

“However, we can still remember the incidents which took place in our areas after the 1977 General Election.

The people took law and order into their own hands under the influence of then Government.

We also saw bodies floating in rivers and burnt on roads.

The then Government in power committed these killings by misusing Police”, he said.