Police Netha - 2015:

Crime scenes on show

by Husna Inayathullah

An unusual collection of photographs of crime scenes in Sri Lanka went on display at the Lionel Wendt Art Centre n Colombo, on September 2, as part of the 149th anniversary celebrations of the Sri Lanka Police. The exhibition was organized by the Sri Lanka Police Criminal Division.

The Chief Guest at the opening of the exhibition was Inspector General of Police, N.K. Illangakoon.

The photographs on display, while tracing the history of Crime Division of the Sri Lanka Police, which was set up the Crimes Coordinating Secretariat Division in 1978 under DIG Crime Sundaralingam and Director Crime SSP F.B. Wettasingha, gave the public an opportunity to view pictures of incidents that had occurred decades ago.

The crime scenes included the Royal Park murder, the killing of six people in Hokandara, Magistrate Sarath Ambepitiya’s murder, Central Bank bombing and a memorial plaque with a portrait of the founder of the Police Photographic Division, Wilson Hegoda.

The memorable crime scenes

Senior Superintendent of Police, Director, Criminal Records Division, Sri Lanka Police and the Chief Organiser of the exhibition, Priyantha Jayakody said, “This is the first time in the Sri Lankan history that the Police Department has organised a photographic exhibition. The photographic section of the Sri Lanka Police started in 1908 during the colonial period.

At that time it was known as the ‘Ceylon Police’. Mr. Walton was the first Director and the Superintendent in charge of the Police Photography Division. It contains not only the photographs but also especially biometric details of criminals like finger prints, rare photographs and the photographs of crime scenes.”

He elaborated that the longest and the oldest fingerprint that they have is from 1912. “From 1912 to September 01, 2015, all criminals are convicted in Sri Lankan court of law, under the Crime Prevention Act,” he said, adding that the biometrics are used for identification of a person and often identifications of persons accused of crimes are requested the Magistrate or the High Court.

“Through our data we search and report back to the relevant courts. Usually we get about 2000 people for identification every day. Apart from this, to identify people and to confirm their anonymity, we do screening, especially for those seeking to fill government vacancies. We also do identification certificates when a person wants to go overseas or to get citizenship abroad. This security clearance is basically handled by us. Photography is a part of our Department,” he said.

Jayakody said they had chosen about 160 photographs from the last six decades to display at the exhibition. “There are very rare photographs of the colonial period, dating back to the 1940s,” he said, explaining that the first section of the exhibition is devoted to the security of VIPs from S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike to President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Also on display are photographs of the 32 Inspectors General of Police and the evaluation of police uniforms starting from 1805 up to the last change in 1975.

The exhibition also saw the unveiling of the portrait of Wilson Hegoda, viewed as the father of Sri Lankan Photography. “Hegoda was the founder and the first officer in charge of the Sri Lanka Photo Bureau.

He joined the police service in 1943 and retired in 1974 after serving 31 years. We have unveiled his portrait with a plaque at our office in Torrington Square,” Jayakody said, adding that they were planning to take the exhibition to peripheral areas of Galle, Kandy and Anuradhapura as well.

Lukindu Ransith, a grade 13 Commerce student of Royal College, Colombo who had come to see the exhibition said, “It is an extra-ordinary exhibition and I like it a lot. We can learn many things about the history of police, crimes and evaluation of police uniforms, from these rare pictures.

My father Upali de Silva is a photographer at the Police Photo Department. There are three photographs which were taken by my father at this exhibition and I am happy to see them.”