Cricket revellers beware

by Jayampathy JAYASINGHE

With the cricket season in full swing plainclothes policemen have been deployed opposite leading schools to keep a tab on unruly and violent behaviour of schoolchildren disrupting peace and causing inconvenience to the public, Police Media Spokesman, SP Ajith Rohana told the Sunday Observer .

Police have been instructed to deal with miscreants in accordance with the laws of the country to safeguard public interests.

"There was an incident where boys of a leading school in Colombo had pelted stones at another leading school nearby following a clash between two factions of schoolchildren last week."

The Media Spokesman said that the police will take steps to prevent schoolchildren travelling in open vehicles during the big matches in Colombo and elsewhere hurling insults at their opponent schools and others.

"We are not trying to dampen the spirit of schoolchildren during the big match season but they should conduct themselves in an orderly manner.

Schoolchildren, however, will be allowed to travel in closed vehicles as long as they do not become a nuisance to other road users." The Media Spokesman said that policemen have been instructed to deal with schoolchildren who act violently under the influence of liquor.

Policemen in mufti were deployed yesterday near schools in Colombo, he said.