• Cops including an OIC transferred over not taking action against the unruly 

Five individuals arrested on Wednesday (18) over attempting to enter the Southern Expressway near the Mattala Exit in a bus without seat belts and for obstructing Police duties have been remanded by the Hambantota Magistrate’s Court (MC). The Magistrate ordered the suspects be remanded until today (20).

A video circulated on social media showing a group who arrived by bus near the Mattala Exit of the Southern Expressway behaving in a disorderly manner over a seat belt-related incident, verbally abusing the President and obstructing Police officers from carrying out their duties. The five individuals had been arrested by the Katana Police for allegedly directing verbal abuse towards President Anura Kumara Dissanayake near the Southern Expressway entry point in Mattala and subsequently posting the video on social media. The incident occurred on Tuesday (17) when a tense situation prevailed after Police officers prevented a private bus returning from a pilgrimage to Kataragama from entering the Expressway, due to the absence of seat belts. An argument then broke out between the group travelling in the bus and the Police officers on duty. During the incident, the group onboard the bus allegedly proceeded to utter profanities while referring to President Dissanayake and making harsh and insulting remarks. The incident was recorded on a mobile phone and later circulated widely on social media.

Five individuals connected to the incident were arrested by officers of the Peliyagoda Traffic Division and handed over to the Hambantota Police through the Katana Police. After being produced before the Hambantota MC, they were remanded until today and are also scheduled to be produced for an identification parade today.

Four Police officers who were on duty at the location of the Expressway interchange on the day of and at the time of the incident have been transferred with immediate effect for failing to take legal action against those who behaved in a disorderly manner. The Police stated the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Mattala Expressway Exit, a Chief Inspector, along with a Police Sergeant and a Police Constable, were transferred. The transfers were made on the instructions of the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Traffic and Road Safety. Accordingly, the OIC has been transferred to the Police Headquarters, while two other officers have been transferred to the Kottawa and Kadawatha Police Stations. It is reported that these transfers were carried out due to the officers’ failure to take legal action against the individuals involved, despite the country’s Executive President being allegedly publicly verbally abused and the group allegedly behaving in an indecent manner.