
The powers given to the army and the STF to shoot by Gotabaya is absolutely illegal , and therefore , he is moving heaven and earth to justify the killing of innocent Fernando, the high ranking officer added. This high ranking police officer who is well conversant with laws and norms relating to duty , stated that the police did not do any shooting in yesterday’s killing , and they were not in possession of firearms. The police only used tear gas to control the protests , but it was the STF and the army who shot and killed , and orders had not been taken from the district police chief for this shooting , he pointed out. No emergency regulations were invoked , and in the circumstances , the President can introduce it by a fresh gazette notification and enlist the army to maintain peace and calm. But such army groups enlisted shall obey orders from the SSP or the District Secretary of the district. But at yesterday’s shooting no such orders had been followed , and hence the killing was most outrageous and also portends grave danger to people’s security , the high ranking police officer expressed with alarm. The orders for shooting had been given directly by Gotabaya Rajapakse flouting all regulations flagrantly . In order to cover up this ghastly murder and cruel shooting , the CID officers who have arrived at Chilaw yesterday night are now engaged in distorting the picture by concocting all kind of false stories and reports , he further pinpointed. The Mayor Hilary Fernando and the Father of the church told the people who assembled at the church since yesterday morning that the Govt. is going to withdraw the relief paper in respect of fuel , and is going to sell fuel at the earlier prices. The fishermen had replied that previously too the cards which were issued for fuel relief were unavailing a day after the issue. After the discussions , the fishermen have begun travelling towards the Chilaw town. The police had placed barriers and inquired from the protestors ‘what have you got in your hands’. The marchers have raised their arms and shown they have nothing in their hands. The police have then tear gassed tem and asked them to disperse. The protestors have retaliated by retrieving the ‘tear gas’ and thrown back at the police. At that moment , the army and the STF who were among them have started firing ruthlessly.
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