Supporting DIG Kotakadeniya's revelations was a retired Inspector General of Police who spoke to The Sunday Times on grounds of anonymity. It appears that there is scant respect for law and order today. It is a question of deterrence. This is something one can expect. Some city police officers who did not want to be named disclosed that pressure from Parliamentarians to release criminals was often a problem.
Politicians are servants of the people.
It was only last year that President Kumaratunga ordered the Police Department to transfer a large number of OICs and other officers from Police Divisions after reports that they received large payments from underworld gangs, drug pedlars and criminal groups. A police source said complaints of corrupt activity, particularly in the city and immediate suburbs, were still rampant despite the transfers. I n the first fatal incident of election violence, a UNP youth-front member was killed in a midnight shooting incident at a candidate's house in Kuliyapitiya. Padma Kumari Herath, the wife of candidate Gamini Dissanayake and Pradeshiya Sabha member S.A Tudor were injured in the shooting and were rushed to Colombo for emergency surgery. Hospital sources in Colombo yesterday said both of them were in a grave condition.