One-and-a-half cheers

Editorial-August 3, 2014

On Friday night, the police rescued a little boy who had been abducted by a gang on Monday. The CID was called in as no breakthrough had been made until Friday morning and the mission was accomplished in record time. All four abductors who had demanded a ransom of Rs. 10 million for releasing the child were also arrested.

The police deserve praise for another successful operation. Police Spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana boasted, at a media conference, on Saturday, that the latest technology had been used to solve the crime. On listening to the smooth-tongued officer, the naïve may have thought our police were on par with Scotland Yard where the use of technology in criminal investigations was concerned. But, the fact remains that most police stations claim they are without enough vehicles even to respond to emergencies and, therefore, dependent on tuk-tuks. Is it that some pre-deluvian methods such as examining CCTV footage, wire tapping and call tracing have come to pass for the latest technology in this country?

The police have proved once again that they are capable of solving crimes efficiently against numerous odds if they are prodded into action. The Police Spokesman told the media on Saturday that President Mahinda Rajapaksa himself had ordered a high-level investigation into the abduction. One is somewhat intrigued. It looks as if the country had come to such a pass that crimes do not get solved unless the head of state makes an intervention.

However, while the police are flaunting the laurels they have won as regards Friday’s rescue mission—and justifiably so—it needs to be added that some crimes against even police personnel have gone unsolved. The killing of Inspector Douglas Nimal and his wife way back in 2006 in a Colombo suburb is a case in point. Their two children were orphaned and the country lost a veteran drug buster. In a report we published a few days before that tragic incident we quoted IP Nimal as saying that he feared for his life. Outspoken and independent, he had made many enemies in the Police Department.

The police ought to explain why they have failed to bring those who gunned down Nimal and his spouse to justice? Will they reopen the case apparently relegated to the X-Files, as it were, and ensure that justice is done albeit with delay if the President tells them to do so?

A highway cop has recently resigned in protest against the manner in which the police are investigating an incident where he was assaulted and his car set on fire. He believes there is a connection between a brush he had with a government politician after booking the latter’s driver on the Southern Expressway for exceeding the speed limit and the subsequent attacks on him and his vehicle. The police are dragging their feet on the probe while promising to conclude it in a day or two.

Another policeman has been victimised as he refused to grovel before a crook close to the police top brass and threatened to expose some rackets his superiors were allegedly involved in. The constable was transferred posthaste to the Borella police station, where he was made to perform menial tasks like cleaning and sweeping by way of punishment and finally interdicted purportedly for speaking to the media. The police have outdone King Kekille, the legendary bovine monarch, who always punished victims and set perpetrators free. What prevents the police big wigs from giving the victimised constable an audience to see if there is any truth in his serious allegations against his superiors?

There are several other aggrieved police personnel who have been crying out for justice, but to no avail. Therefore, while congratulating the police on Friday’s successful rescue operation which has done their department proud, we give them only one-and-a-half hearty cheers.