Police foil attempt to transport donkeys

• Police said the suspects were not in possession of a permit for transporting donkeys and the purpose for which they were transporting donkeys was yet to be revealed

By Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe

An attempt to transport six donkeys was foiled and two lorries  seized and the drivers arrested by Norochcholai police in the early hours of last morning during a raid at Narakalliya area. The suspects were residents of Kandakuliya area

Police said the suspects were not in possession of a permit for transporting donkeys and the purpose for which they were transporting donkeys was yet to be revealed. A senior police officer said a permit issued by the Divisional Secretary is required to transport donkeys away from the area.   

Residents of the area said Puttalam had been the main habitat of donkeys, but the donkey population gradually spread to Kalpitiya and its environs. They expressed concern that the donkeys were facing danger of extinction for want of  wildlife regulations to protect them.   

An official from the Kalpitiya Divisional Secretariat said permits are obtained to transport donkeys to save coconut cultivation from beetle but it is subject to a series of restrictions. He further said the requests of Gypsies for permission to keep donkeys are considered.  

 However, residents of the area said permits are being obtained under the pretext of using them to protect coconut cultivation by organized groups. They pointed out that the slaughter of donkeys for beef has been going on unchecked since long. They pointed out that the donkeys in Puttalam were a tourist attraction.   

Norochchaole police had carried out the raid on information received from Kalptiya ASP. Under interrogation the suspects stated that they were transporting the six donkeys to a coconut land in Badalgama area.  

A police team under OIC Norochcholai Police IP S.Dharmakumara had carried out the raid.