Sri Lanka Police have launched an investigation into a video going viral on social media, which depicts a female tuition teacher being escorted by police motorcycles and vehicles to an event organized by her.
Police Media Spokesperson SSP Buddhika Manathunga confirmed that the individual in question is a private tuition teacher who conducts classes for students preparing for the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination.
Addressing the controversy, SSP Manathunga explained that the Sri Lanka Police may provide officers and vehicles for specific public affairs — such as for filming a movie — but only after a thorough intelligence review of the request and its context, including the script.
He further clarified that police officers may also be deployed for public events such as musical shows or ticketed functions, but this is permitted only upon payment of a required fee.
In this particular case, the teacher is reported to have requested police support, claiming it was needed for a ceremony honoring students who had successfully passed the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination. The event was said to involve nearly 8,000 students and 35,000 parents.
However, preliminary investigations have revealed that the teacher may have used the police escort to boost her personal image, raising serious concerns about the misuse of state resources.
Police have since launched an inquiry into how the vehicles and officers were allocated for the event, and whether any police personnel were complicit in the unauthorized use of official resources, SSP Manathunga said.
A group of fishermen stranded at sea off the coast of Balapitiya were rescued today by a Bell 412 helicopter under the directive of the Secretary of Defence.
The fishermen were aboard a vessel that encountered distress in rough sea conditions. Upon receiving the alert, the Sri Lanka Air Force launched the helicopter to assist in the emergency rescue operation.
The Department of Meteorology has issued a Red Alert warning for strong winds and rough seas around Sri Lanka, effective from 12:30 pm today (May 30) until midnight tomorrow (May 31).
Former Sports Minister – Mahindananda Aluthgamage as well as former Trade Minister and Sathosa Chairman – Nalin Fernando, have been placed in a common ward at Welikada Prison, where they will be held with other general inmates.
Prison authorities confirmed that both individuals were issued standard-issue jumpers, along with a mat and pillow, as per prison protocol.
The two were brought to Welikada Prison yesterday afternoon following their sentencing and were subsequently subjected to medical examinations before being transferred to their assigned ward.
The Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar yesterday (May 29) sentenced the duo over their involvement in a major corruption case linked to the importation of sports equipment, which is infamously known as the ‘Carrom Board’ case.
Ex-Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage was sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment while former Trade Minister – Nalin Fernando was sentenced to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment for his involvement in the case as the Lanka Sathosa Chairman at that time.
