Former Wanduramba OIC reinstated
January 24, 2015 03:27 pm
The former officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Wanduramba Police Station, Inspector Panangala Liyanage Keerthisinghe, who famously resigned in the days leading up to the Presidential election citing political interference, has been reinstated in the post.
Keerthisinghe has been reinstated as the Wanduramba OIC with effect from today, the police media spokesman’s office said.
The Inspector of Police (IP), who resigned in the wake of the controversy surrounding the torching of an election stage of the Common Candidate in Wanduramba, had recently requested the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to reinstate him in the position.
On December 22, Keerthisinghe held a press conference at his residence in Wanduramba and informed media of his decision to resign due to political interference which had prevented him from carrying out his duties.
He had said that it has proven to be difficult for the police to carry out its duty due to politicians and that as an officer who has served in the force for 18 years, his decision was taken with deep regret.
The election stage and some decorations of Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena were set on fire by a group of individuals, who had arrived in two Defenders, in the Wanduramba area in Galle on December 17.
Three supporters of Deputy Minister Nishantha Muthuhettigama were later arrested over the incident and remanded until December 29. The suspects Janaka Duminda, K.G. Janaka Kumara and S.A. Dimuthu Pradeep were produced before Baddegama Magistrate Courts.
