IGP revokes transfers by Northern DIG to two police officers who detected an illegal timber load

COLOMBO (News 1st) - The Inspector General of Police has ordered to cancel the sudden transfers given to two police officers. They were transferred after carrying out a raid in Wellankulama, Mannar. The transfers had been given by the Senior DIG in Charge of the Northern province, Roshan Fernando. On February 21st, the two police officers who were attached to the Wellankulama Police post in Mannar had pursued a lorry that defied police orders to stop and carried out a raid. It was revealed that the driver of the lorry had fled after abandoning the vehicle on the road. As a result of the raid, the police discovered 27 illegally felled satin wood trees valued at over Rs. 800,000 in the lorry. The two officers attached to the Ilapekudai Police station were given transfers to the Kopai Police station in Jaffna with effect from today (February 23) stating service requirements. Incidentally, the owner of the lorry lives in the same police division where one of the officers in question was transferred. When News 1st made an inquiry from the Senior DIG in Charge of the Northern province, Roshan Fernando, he stated the officers in question were given temporary transfers as they were charged with disciplinary measures for engaging in police patrol during the night time. He further stated that they had engaged in the patrol even after they were advised to have four police officers during a nighttime patrol. However, the Police media Spokesperson Ruwan Gunasekara stated that the transfers were now null and void. He noted that the IGP had called off the transfer following discussions with the two police officers when they had told him of the issue.