The powers given to the army and the STF to shoot by Gotabaya is absolutely illegal , and therefore , he is moving heaven and earth to justify the killing of innocent Fernando, the high ranking officer added.
This high ranking police officer who is well conversant with laws and norms relating to duty , stated that the police did not do any shooting in yesterday’s killing , and they were not in possession of firearms. The police only used tear gas to control the protests , but it was the STF and the army who shot and killed , and orders had not been taken from the district police chief for this shooting , he pointed out.
No emergency regulations were invoked , and in the circumstances , the President can introduce it by a fresh gazette notification and enlist the army to maintain peace and calm. But such army groups enlisted shall obey orders from the SSP or the District Secretary of the district. But at yesterday’s shooting no such orders had been followed , and hence the killing was most outrageous and also portends grave danger to people’s security , the high ranking police officer expressed with alarm.
The orders for shooting had been given directly by Gotabaya Rajapakse flouting all regulations flagrantly . In order to cover up this ghastly murder and cruel shooting , the CID officers who have arrived at Chilaw yesterday night are now engaged in distorting the picture by concocting all kind of false stories and reports , he further pinpointed.
The Mayor Hilary Fernando and the Father of the church told the people who assembled at the church since yesterday morning that the Govt. is going to withdraw the relief paper in respect of fuel , and is going to sell fuel at the earlier prices. The fishermen had replied that previously too the cards which were issued for fuel relief were unavailing a day after the issue.
After the discussions , the fishermen have begun travelling towards the Chilaw town. The police had placed barriers and inquired from the protestors ‘what have you got in your hands’. The marchers have raised their arms and shown they have nothing in their hands.
The police have then tear gassed tem and asked them to disperse. The protestors have retaliated by retrieving the ‘tear gas’ and thrown back at the police. At that moment , the army and the STF who were among them have started firing ruthlessly.
The IP D. S. Dissanayake who was in charge of the barricading had phoned the SSP of the area R A D K Ranasinghe and conveyed the developments . ‘Sir , they did not heed us. They told they have orders to shoot and began the shooting’, the IP had told nervously.
Gotabaya , notorious for atrocious killings and associated with the white Van syndrome is now trying to conceal this whole merciless killer operation via a conspiracy with the use of the CID.
The vile tale that is being concocted by them is : the fishermen carrying swords and weapons were attempting to abduct the sister of the Chilaw province High court judge Malini Gunaratne, and consequently shooting was necessitated.
Because the crowd of people who were trying to move from Wella district to the Town were diverted , they had gone in the direction of Ridhi Wella district . Though the justice Malini Gunaratne’s residence is situated on that road , these crowds have not made any attempt to abduct the sister of the Judge. This allegation was an absolute lie. This is a falsehood created by the CID officers to cover up the murder and ruthless shooting. As usual the regime is expected to announce this concocted lie via its media tomorrow.
A crafty unscrupulous police officer Pujitha Jayasundara has been enlisted for this purpose. Through this officer a sum of Rs. five lakhs had been given to the family of the deceased , it is learnt., and by now , a curfew has been clamped on Chilaw district.
The victim , of this ghastly murder Warnakulasooriya Anthony Fernando is a father of three children. His wife is working abroad.
Among those who came for this shooting spree were two Captains and a Lieutenant. An IP and an ASP of the STF had also been among them. Nearly 150 officers have particiapetd in this cruel operation.
By a special reporter
LeN