It has been reported that DIG Roshan Dias has been appointed as the Director of the Central Crime Investigation Bureau, with oversight over Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shani Abeysekera.
Acting DIG Nihal Thalduwa, who previously headed the Central Crime Investigation Division, has been transferred to Monaragala.
Roshan Dias—widely criticized for his role in suppressing participants of the 2022 Aragalaya protest movement—has also been appointed as DIG in charge of Police Staff. This promotion was granted by Acting IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon.
Dias has been accused of deploying water cannons, tear gas, physical force, and conducting mass arbitrary arrests and acts of torture during protests held in Colombo under the administration of President Ranil Wickremesinghe. At the time, Dias served as SSP in charge of the Colombo Central Division. He was directly implicated in multiple incidents of alleged abuse of power while reportedly working in favor of the then Ranil-Rajapaksa alliance.
He was also mocked for his use of peculiar code words such as “fried rice” and “watermelon” during a protest suppression operation outside Parliament.
To date, no disciplinary action or internal investigations have been conducted regarding these allegations. There have been no inquiries into reported acts of public harassment or the misuse of tear gas as a chemical deterrent. Instead, Dias has now been entrusted with supervising prominent investigator SSP Shani Abeysekera.
On October 9, Roshan Dias led a police team that forcefully dispersed a peaceful candlelight vigil held at Galle Face Green to commemorate the Aragalaya. Eyewitnesses allege that police assaulted participants, including children.
The following day, on October 10, during a demonstration protesting police brutality, Dias allegedly ordered the unlawful blocking of the Galle-Colombo Road—preventing public access while simultaneously arresting protestors under charges of public nuisance and obstruction.
In response, journalist and activist Tharindu Jayawardena filed personal criminal complaints before the Fort Magistrate’s Court against SSP Roshan Dias and SP Nalin Dilruk. However, the case was not taken up for hearing, as it was opposed by the Attorney General’s Department.
With the inputs from Sinhala language article published in the whatnews.lk.