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| Wednesday, 20 August 2003 |
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Security | Today's Top Story | |
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by Ranil Wijayapala In a move to strengthen security in the East, the Government has instructed the Police Department to recruit 500 Reserve Police Constables and 50 Reserve Sub Inspectors immediately. Three Senior Police officers will also be appointed in Muslim populated areas in the Eastern Province as coordinating officers, Eastern Province Senior DIG Neville Wijesinghe told the Daily news yesterday. The special security arrangements in the East come in the wake of tension in the Eastern Province following a spate of killings in the East specially in Muttur in Trincomalee and Samanthurai in the Ampara district. Muslim politicians led by Muslim Affairs Minister Rauff Hakeem has requested the Government to ensure the security of Muslims as their security is affected following the killings. He said the recruitment of RPCs and SIs to the Police will be done this weekend in the Trincomalee, Muttur, Batticaloa, Akkaraipattu and Pottuvil areas. "The recruitment drive is only meant for the Eastern Province considering the present situation," Wijesinghe added. The Police Headquarters will also appoint three Senior Police Officers to Muttur in Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Kalmunai in the Digamadulla district. "They will be entrusted with the task of coordinating security for politicians representing the respective areas, the Security Forces and with the local community," DIG Wijesinghe added. He said security has been further strengthened in the Eastern Province following the killing of two Muslims in Samanthurai. The people in Samanthurai and Pothuvil were engaged in a Hartal yesterday too in protest of the killing of two Muslims in Samanthurai. "No incident has been reported in these areas despite the closure of shops and stoppage of other public services including transport services," he added. He said a special team from the Criminal Investigation Department headed by a SSP has been dispatched to Samanthurai to investigate the killing of two Muslims in Samanthurai. "They were expected to commence investigations today itself," Wijesinghe added. He said combined mobile patrols by the STF and Police have been increased and a number of road-blocks had been increased as precautionary measures. Army personnel also assisted the Police to maintain law and order in Trincomalee. |
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