Alutgama violence under probe by three separate police units

Investigations into the Alutgama violence on Sunday night had been handed over to three separate teams, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Colombo Crime Division (CCD) and Kalutara Police Division, Inspector General of Police N. K. Ilangakoon said yesterday.

Addressing a media conference at the Kalutara SP’s office, the IGP said that no Buddhist monk had been killed in violence at Dharga town contrary to claims made by rumour mongers. He asked people not to get provoked by such lies.

N. K. Ilangakoon said that two Muslims from Dharga town had been killed in the violence that erupted Sunday evening. They had died after being admitted to the Nagoda General Hospital in Kalutara.

At present, 37 people from both sides were warded at the Hospital, the IGP said.

“As the IGP, I speak with full responsibility that there was no death of a monk, but a Buddhist monk is warded in the Nagoda General Hospital in Kalutara with some wounds,” Ilangakoon said.

A special discussion was held in Kalutara with the participation of Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne, Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Ministers representing the Kalutara District and IGP N. K. Ilangakoon on the situation in Alutgama and Beruwala areas.

A police curfew was imposed in Alutgama and Beruwala police areas on Sunday evening to prevent clashes between two groups in Beruwala from spreading.

Clashes occurred after a protest march and rally against an attack on a Buddhist monk in the Dharga town on Poson Poya Day.

Police spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said that the situation had been brought under control, but the police curfew would continue until further notice to prevent further incidents.

He said that unlawful assembly, holding rallies, and vehicular movement were forbidden during the curfew and instructions had been issued to take all those who did not comply with the law into custody.

SSP Rohana said, however, that there would be no restrictions on vehicular movement along the Galle road under the supervision of the police and train services operated along the coastal belt.

He said that special police teams accompanied by the STF had been deployed in the Alutgama and Beruwala police areas for security.

Meanwhile, President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is attending the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the G77+China in Bolivia, issuing a message responding to Alutgama incident said “The Government will not allow anyone to take the law into their own hands and an investigation will be held for the law to take its course of action to bring to book those responsible for the incident.”

President Rajapaksa urged all parties concerned to act with restraint.

By Dasun Edirisinghe and Wijayasiri Vidyasekera, Kalutara Corr.
Source: The Island (Sri Lanka)