Dy. Minister obstructed duties of officers: STF Commandant

Referring to the Suriyawewa incident, police Special Task Force (STF) Commandant, Senior DIG M. R. Latheef said Deputy Minister Palitha Kumara Thewarapperuma had interfered with the duties of the officers who were on a special raid.

SDIG Latheef told the Daily Mirror that it had also made a log note on the incident.

“I looked in to the matter immediately when i was informed by the deputy minister. I informed him that the officers had conducted their duties according to the practice within the law. Therefore there was nothing wrong with the police officers” he said.

SDIG Latheef also added that despite the Deputy Minister Thewarapperuma’s strong protests, the STF officers had handed over two suspects who were taken into custody during the raid to the Suriyawewa Police.

President Maithripala Sirisena imposed strict regulations covering sand, soil and metal related activities, including transporting, mining, crushing aimed at mitigating environment hazards early this year.

Police STF conduct over 300 raids per month islandwide to curb illegal sand mining and transportation. (Thilanka Kanakarathna)