Disciplinary Inquiry against Police officers in Angulana shooting

COLOMBO(News 1st): Sri Lanka Police is to report facts to the Moratuwa Magistrate's Court on Monday with regard to the death of a 39-year-old three-wheeler in Angulana in a shooting. Sri Lanka Police also launched a disciplinary inquiry against the officers present at the time of the shooting and the report is to be submitted today, said Senior DIG in charge of the Western Province Deshabandu Tennakooon. The investigation was carried out by the SSP of the Mount Lavinia Police. Action will be taken based on the report, Senior DIG in charge of the Western Province added. During an inspection carried out by police at a roadblock in the Lunawa area of Angulana, an argument broke out between the police and a group of people who arrived in a three-wheeler. The Police had opened fire at a 39-year-old man who died after being admitted to the Kalubowila hospital. Police on Saturday launched a probe into the death of a man who died due to a shooting by police officers in Moratuwa, officials said. Amith Karunaratne, a father of four, was shot dead following a scuffle between a police officer while travelling with his son and brother in a three-wheeler. It was unclear whether the police officers suspected him of trafficking narcotics. "They put their hands into my brother's pockets. My brother then said that we were not trafficking narcotics. It was then that they opened fire him," the victim's brother who witnessed the incident said. He claimed that the police officers were drunk at the time of the incident. However, police spokesman Jaliya Senaratne told reporters it cannot be confirmed as a test has not been carried out to determine whether they were drunk. He added that the defence secretary had instructed the Acting Police Chief and the Western Province Senior DIG Deshabandu Tennakoon to probe whether the policemen had neglected their duties. "After a report is received, disciplinary action will be taken if they had displayed indisciplinary conduct," the spokesman said. The Senior DIG of the Western Province visited the victim's family and paid his condolences on behalf of the police. "If a mistake has been committed, we will not conceal this or try to save them," he said. Tennakoon added that drug racketeers may try to capitalize on the incident and urge villagers to attack the police station, and urged the victim's family to avoid such activities. "We will punish the wrongdoers and do the needful," the Senior DIG added. "What had taken place shouldn't have happened".