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| Sunday, 2 June 2002 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Bambalapitiya, Kandana, Maharagama - top stations Police Dept. to be revamped by JAYAMPATHY JAYASINGHE With a view to provide an efficient and a courteous service to the public the advisory committee appointed by the Interior Minister John Amaratunga to effect changes in the police department has proposed three police stations viz, the Bambalapitiya, Kandana and Maharagama to be named as model police stations in the country. With the help of the private sector participation it is expected that the infrastructure facilities of these police stations such as furniture, facsimile machines, type writers will be improved to provide a better service to the public than what is available at these police stations, an Interior Ministry spokesmen told the Sunday Observer. Interior Minister John Amaratunga recently commenting on the prevailing crime situation in the country said that steps will be taken to de-politicise the police service. However he also admitted that the recovery of illegal weapons had not been a success. Police sources said that with the aim of combating soaring crime new measures have been announced. Accordingly the Senior Supdt. of Police in charge of divisions have been instructed to submit reports to DIG Ranges regarding grave crime and the DIG was expected to monitor all such cases and recommend remedial action. The OICs of police stations were instructed to form vigilance committees with the help of Grama Niladharis to enlist public support to crack down crime. Four employees from a cigarette agency after collecting debt money amounting to nearly two million rupees from dealers in the area had kept the large denomination notes in their possession while packing the two brief cases with smaller denominations. When the armed men demanded the day's collection, the cigarette agency employees had handed over the two brief cases, police said. The Senior Supdt. of Police, Kelaniya (SSP) Jagath Abeygunawardena has ordered the Ja-Ela OIC to probe into the matter. In a separate incident last Wednesday a merchant who had come to Pettah to purchase goods was robbed Rs. 400,000 by a four member armed gang by threatening to stab him with a knife, police said. The SSP Central Division, Lucky Dissanayake had ordered an investigation into the matter. Meanwhile as grave crimes continues, despite police keeping an eye on the situation, the acting IGP, T.E. Anandarajah says that the overall crime statistics have come down during the past five years. According to him the total number of crimes committed in the country in 1980 was 52,157 compared to 46,568 committed in 2001. There were 4949 robberies committed in 1980 compared to 5134 in 2001 while 29 murders were committed during this period. However, the ghastly murders committed in Navagamuwa on Wesak day, where seven underworld figures were shot to death while on their way to the Navagamuwa police is a stark reminder of the law and order situation in the country. It was learnt that a police team from Aluthgama police had arrested all the suspects involved in the murder hiding in a hotel at Aluthgama area. The total number of crimes committed in the country during the first quarter of the year 2002 was 1165. Of this the highest number of crimes committed were in respect of agricultural property worth over Rs. 5000. The second highest category are house breaking and theft and robbery falls into the third category. Other crimes include abduction, arson, housebreaking and theft, causing grievous heart, murder, rape, riot, sexual offences, fraud, printing of illegal currency notes, possession of illegal firearms, and drug related offences etc. The following crime figures have been reported from the following Police divisions up to May 15. Central Province 461 cases, Southern Province 472 and Northern Province 232. |
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