Security stepped up in Sabaragamuwa, NCP

Move to prevent post polls violence:

By Shanika SRIYANANDA

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Security in the two provinces - Sabaragamuwa and the North Central Province (NCP), which was volatile with pre-election violence has been beefed up to prevent post-election violence.

Police seek public cooperation to maintain a violence free post election environment as some organised groups are trying to discredit the government by inciting violence.

Inspector General of Police Jayantha Wickramaratne told the Sunday Observer that some politicians had been arrested carrying iron poles and grenades and plying in white vans.

“These white van incidents show that some organised groups are trying to incite violence among the public to disrupt normalcy in these areas to discredit the government”. He called upon the public to cooperate with the police and Army to prevent post election violence.

He said the security forces, including over 21,000 policemen and 4,000 soldiers, would provide security to prevent post election violence.

“We are closely monitoring the situation. I request the public to cooperate with the police especially after the results are announced. No one will be allowed to take the law into their hands”, he said.

The Police Chief who met representatives of political parties contesting the two Provincial Council elections at his Colombo office on Friday, said that the police have already implemented a separate plan to tackle post election violence.

Under this plan each police division was divided to provide maximum security to vulnerable areas where violence can erupt.

“Riot squads have already been deployed to provide additional security and road blocks have been placed with the help of the Army.

We have taken steps to monitor security in the two provinces and unauthorised people will not be allowed to enter vulnerable areas”, he said.

According to IGP Wickramaratne, the public can lodge complaints of post election violence at any police station in these two provinces and can also dial 119 in an emergency.

He also called upon the public to remain in their homes without getting involved in any unlawful activity. “I appeal to the public to spend their Sunday at home”, he said.

The Police Chief said that all political party representatives in the two provinces were provided contact numbers of senior police officers-in-charge of election security. “They can even contact me in an emergency”, he said.

The police in its pre and post election plans implemented two weeks ago intensified security in the two provinces to conduct a peaceful election.

Considering the number of incidents that took place in the two provinces and the threats from the LTTE the police had deployed additional senior police officers to handle security in the Anuradhapura Town, Thambuththegama, Kakirawa and Medawachchiya.

“We appointed an additional DIG in Medawachchiya because it borders Vavuniya. There is a possibility for the LTTE to infiltrate these areas from Vavuniya. Two additional senior DIGs have been deployed to handle security while strengthening the security in the threatened villages”, he said.