When threatening calls are received by Police officers in connection with ongoing criminal investigations, the Police would take legal action after verifying the authenticity of such calls, said the Police Media Spokesperson and Assistant Superintendent of Police F.U. Wootler.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, he said: “When certain Police officers receive suspicious calls, a formal entry is made. A detailed investigation is then carried out to verify the identity and authenticity of the caller. Once confirmed, the matter will be reported to the respective courts, and legal action is taken against those responsible for making the threats.”

This comes in the wake of a death threat allegedly made by organised crime suspect Mandinu Padmasiri alias ‘Kehelbaddara Padme’ against Chief Inspector Linton Silva, who heads the Western Province North Crimes Division. The call, which reportedly took place at around 8.45 p.m. on 3 August, is believed to be linked to the arrest of one of Padmasiri’s close associates earlier that day. 

During the phone call, Padmasiri is said to have warned Silva using threatening language, referencing his family and claiming, “You are also playing a game… we are also playing a game. Tell me the correct way to do this. You have a child, right? You know what to do. We are holding the death certificate in our hands anyway; so, we are not afraid of dying.”

Police officers working on cases linked to organised crime have been receiving threats, including death threats, from individuals connected to those networks. These threats are seen as attempts to scare off investigators and to interfere with efforts to crackdown on crimes like drug trafficking, extortion, and contract killings.