24 June 2022 11:30 pm
The Police Headquarters has instructed all police officers not to interfere in opening of underground fuel storage tanks at fuel stations at the request of the public.
Police said it has been observed that people waiting in queues have been asking the policemen who provide security to the sheds to open the underground fuel storage tanks once the fuel has been ceased. It was also monitored that policemen have intervened to open the underground fuel storage tanks.
It is not the duty of the policemen to open the fuel tanks, but only to those who are authorized to do so. If the policemen intervene and try to open the fuel tanks in this manner, the policemen concerned will be held responsible in the event of any incident occur due to saboteur or or by accident.
Therefore, the police urged the public not to pressurise the policemen or other police personnel on duty at petrol stations to open the underground fuel storage tanks at petrol sheds. (Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya)