ECONOMYNEXT – The chief minister of Sri Lanka’s Sabaragamuwa Province, Maheepala Herath, has complained that his back up security vehicle provided by the police had been stolen right under the nose of his bodyguards.
Police said the chief minister who represents the opposition United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) told the Superintendent of Police Kegalle this morning that his backup vehicle had inexplicably disappeared.
“The chief minister made a compliant to Kegalle SP that the vehicle which was parked at his residence last night was not there this morning,” a spokesman for the police media unit said.
He said investigations were underway.
However, the minister had lodged the discovery of the theft hours after a Toyota Land cruiser fitting the description of his back up vehicle was detained by an anti-narcotics unit in Kurunegala last night.
“A Toyota jeep has been seized while it was transporting cannabis (Kerala ganja), investigations are underway.” Unconfirmed sources said 3.5 kilos of ganja was in the vehicle.
Whether the minister’s vehicle was involved or not, senior police officials said there was a serious breach of security if the minister’s security vehicle had been stolen right under the nose of his police bodyguards.
The chief minister himself was in Anuradhapura the previous evening attending the launch of the UPFA’s parliamentary election campaign under the theme: “Let’s power the nation. Let’s start afresh.”
ENS