Two senior child protection officers were arrested over a child cruelty case in Anuradhapura.
Anuradhapura police had initiated an investigation on a complaint lodged with the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) after a TV channel had exposed the case in 2021, involving a 17-year-old girl at an orphanage in Anuradhapura.
Based on the complaint, officers at the Anuradhapura Police Station recorded the statements of the girls residing in the children’s home and officers attached to the North Central Provincial Probation and Child Protection Services Department and conducted investigations.
Based on the information revealed there, the advice of the Attorney General had been sought on legal action to be taken against the governing authority of the North Central Provincial Probation and Childcare Services Department regarding the cruelty inflicted on the 17-year-old girl, who was detained at a counseling center on court orders, by employing her as a cook in a children’s home.
The suspects – a 49 year old male from Wariyapola and a 57 year old female from Anuradhapura, were arrested after appearing before the police and was subsequently granted bail after being produced before the Anuradhapura Magistrate Court.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports today distributed cricket equipment to 30 selected schools in the Western Province that currently do not offer cricket.
The programme is done with the goal of ensuring that every child interested in cricket has the opportunity to pursue the sport, despite their economic status. It is also expected to be expanded to all districts in the future.
The distribution was held under the patronage of Deputy Minister of Sports Sugath Thilakaratne at the Ministry premises.
Officials from the Ministry, principals, teachers, and students from the selected schools participated in the event.
President Anura Kumara Disanayake has appointed Mr K.G.P. Pushpakumara as the Chief Secretary of the Western Province.
The official letter of appointment was handed over to Mr Pushpakumara today (June 06) at the Presidential Secretariat by Secretary to the President, Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.
The government has decided to present a bill to abolish pensions for Members of Parliament at the upcoming Cabinet meeting.
Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, Ananda Wijepala, stated that the bill has been finalized by the Legal Draftsman and is scheduled to be tabled in Parliament next month.
In addition, the Minister announced that the issuance of vehicle licenses to MPs has also been suspended, as part of broader efforts to reduce public expenditure and restore trust in political accountability.
(dailynews.lk)
(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by dailynews.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)