The Special Task Force (STF) Police and the anti-riot squad have been deployed to provide security for Kataragama police and maintain law and order after tensions erupted following the shooting death of a motorcyclist in the city.
Kataragama Police say a large number of people, who hurled stones and attacked the police station after the incident, were arrested.
Twenty police officers suffered minor injuries as a result of stone attack, and several properties were damaged, Kataragama Police said.
According to the police 44 men and 13 women were asserted and they were to be produced before the magistrate today.
Law and Order Minister Sagala Ratnayake said a CID team has been sent to Kataragama to probe the death of a motorcyclist following a Police shooting and one police officer has already been arrested.
He urged the public to remain calm and maintain peace. Police have been instructed to work with the villagers to quell the situation, he said.
The tense situation arose after a police officer on night patrol opened fire at the motorcyclist after he disregarded an order to stop at a security point on Saturday night.
A large mob protesting the police shooting blocked the Tissa-Kataragama road burning tires. Police fired tear gas to disperse the protesters attacking the police station.
The deceased has been identified as Pathiranage Niroshan, a 25-year-old resident of Nagahahuwa, Kataragama. He was a tractor driver of the Kataragama Pradeshiya Sabha.
The police constable involved in the shooting was arrested and produced before the Tissamaharama Magistrate. He was remanded until January 30.
Police Special Task Force (STF) officers and the anti-riot squad have been deployed for the protection of Kataragama Police Station and investigations have been launched to apprehend a former local politician and a few others who have been involved in the incident, Tangalle Division Superintendent of Police Laksiri Githal told BBC Sinhala Service.
Source : Colombo Page
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