Defence Secretary confirms former PM’s whereabouts

Former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is currently at the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) Dockyard in Trincomalee due to security reasons, according to Defence Secretary Kamal Gunaratne.

He stated that as soon as the situation returns to normalcy, the former Premier will be relocated to a place of his choice.

He said it is their responsibility to protect the lives of every citizen, from the leader to the former leader. He said they decided that the former Prime Minister continuing to remain at the previous location would a security concern and that therefore he was taken to the Trincomalee naval dockyard.

“But that is not to stay there permanently. After the country returns to normal in a few days, he will be taken to a location of his preference,”  the Defence Secretary told reporters in Colombo.    

A protest was staged in front of the Trincomalee Naval Base yesterday after reports emerged that former prime minister and some of his family members were there after leaving the official residence in Colombo.

Rajapaksa had resigned as prime minister on Monday amid unprecedented economic turmoil, hours after his supporters attacked anti-government protesters, prompting authorities to impose a nationwide curfew and deploy Army troops in the capital.

Earlier today, the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka refuted as “fake and blatantly false” local social media speculation that the former prime minister and his family members have fled to India.

Meanwhile the Defence Secretary also said that the death toll due to the recent incidents of violence in the country has risen to 09. This includes two police officers.

He said that a total of 41 incidents of setting fire to vehicles, 61 incidents of causing damages to vehicles around 136 incidents of causing damages to properties have been reported so far.