Fewer incidents of election violence - Police

By Kurulu Kariyakarawana

A few incidents of election violence compared to the number of incidents in the previous elections was reported yesterday, Police sources said. The Police Elections Monitoring Desk had received 156 complaints by 5.00 pm yesterday from the Western and Southern Provinces, Police spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said.

The police arrested 145 people from nominations day and most of them were violations of the election law.

Eighty-four people were taken from the Western Province, and 67 from the South were taken in for questioning. One killing had been reported.

The police took in for questioning five people yesterday morning who were pasting posters and distributing handbills in Galle, Anguruwathota and Mt. Lavinia.

Security in both provinces had been beefed up with a strength of 26,000 police officers backed by Police Special Task Force personnel deployed at polling centres and counting centres with additional road barriers, SSP Rohana said.