The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has launched a special investigation about a plan to assasinate former Navy Commander, North-Western Province Governor Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda.
According to a complaint made by Governor Karannagoda to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) regarding a threat to his life, the IGP has assigned the investigation to the CID.
The governor’s official residence in Kurunegala, the road between the residence and the governor’s office and the security vehicle provided to Mr. Karannagoda had been recorded by an unidentified group and the governor had received the footage from another person.
The CID officials confirmed that the unidentified group had targeted Mr. Karannagoda.
The most serious incident is that the video footage of the governor’s official residence has been recorded from the official residence of the Senior Superintendent of Police of Kurunegala located adjacent to the governor’s residence.
The videos have been recorded from a window of the SSP’s residence and show the quarters of the governor’s employees, the front section of the official residence and his security vehicle.
Allowing to video record the governor’s official residence in this manner from the SSP’s residence is a serious breach of security since outsiders are not allowed to enter the SSP’s residence.
A senior police officer said that this incident shares similarities with the murder of former foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar who was killed by a sniper.
According to a report, Kurunegala Senior Superintendent of Police Upul Chandana Abeysinghe has admitted to the Governor that these videos were taken by someone when he was not at his residence.
Mr. Karannagoda has first informed the SSP to conduct an immediate investigation in this regard. However, he had later complained to the IGP requesting a special investigation due to the slow pace of the investigation.
It was reported that the CID is looking into whether there has been any political involvement behind this incident.
It was also said that CID officers are conducting investigations based on several phone records, and they have obtained statements from several suspects as well.
Considering this situation, steps have been taken to increase the security provided to the governor.
