'IGP sent Army to Weliweriya'
Gampaha Superintendent of Police (SP), Vijitha Komasaru, revealed to the Gampaha Chief Magistrate, Tikiri Jayatileke, yesterday, that it was Inspector General of Police (IGP), N.K. Illangakoon, who had summoned the Army to control the demonstrations at Weliweriya, staged by residents of Rathupaswala, demanding clean drinking water.
By Ishara Ratnakara-Thursday, 10 Oct 2013
Gampaha Superintendent of Police (SP), Vijitha Komasaru, revealed to the Gampaha Chief Magistrate, Tikiri Jayatileke, yesterday, that it was Inspector General of Police (IGP), N.K. Illangakoon, who had summoned the Army to control the demonstrations at Weliweriya, staged by residents of Rathupaswala, demanding clean drinking water.
Komasaru, giving evidence in Court, the proceedings of which were monitored by Chief Inspector of the Colombo Crime Division (CCD), Neville de Silva, said, it was following information passed on to the police higher-ups pertaining to the situation in Weliweriya that the Army had been sent to the scene, and that... ...he had not requested the assistance of the Army.
However, at a previous Magisterial inquiry into the deaths of three persons during the protests, Chief Inspector, Neville de Silva, giving evidence in Court, had stated the Army had been summoned to the scene of the protests by the Gampaha SP.
Attorney-at-Law, Upul Deshpriya, who appeared on behalf of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), requested the Gampaha SP to reveal in open Court, the names of the police hierarchy who had given the order to summon the Army to the scene of the protest at Weliweriya.
On being cross-examined at length by Deshapriya, the Gampaha SP stated that it was the IGP who had given instructions to enlist the support of the Army to control the protestors at Weliweriya.
Komasaru, who had brought a report stating the IGP had summoned the Army, read the same before the Chief Magistrate, Tikiri Jayatileke. However, the report had been undated, he pointed out.
