Secret Mission Gone Wrong? Senior Cop Reveals Details of Weligama Raid

COLOMBO (News 1st) – In a startling revelation, former Officer-in-Charge of the Colombo Crimes Division, Anselm de Silva, detailed a covert police operation targeting underworld figure Harak Kata, carried out in December, 2023.

The three-member committee appointed to investigate the allegations related to the proposed removal of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon commenced witness testimonies today.

Testifying before the committee, former Office-In-charge of the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD), Anselm de Silva, stated that senior officers had issued improper instructions regarding the 2023 shooting incident at the W15 Hotel in Weligama.

He revealed that the shooting was carried out under the orders of then CCD Director Neville de Silva.

One of the main allegations in the proposal submitted to Parliament for the removal of IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon is that he misused his authority to deploy CCD officers to carry out a shooting at the W15 Hotel in Weligama for personal reasons.

A CCD officer was killed during the incident.

Testifying before the committee convened at the Parliamentary Complex today, former Office-In_charge of the Colombo Crimes Division Anselm de Silva provided a detailed account of the events.

Testifying under questioning by Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris, de Silva confirmed that he received direct orders from senior officer Neville de Silva to lead a raid on a hotel in Weligama. The mission, he said, involved firing at the hotel’s wall and name board to intimidate the target.

The operation was conducted using a van with altered license plates and no police insignia. De Silva stated that eight officers participated, armed with two T-56 rifles and two pistols. The team wore civilian clothing, with only two helmets brought along for safety.

The raid, which began around 8 p.m., culminated at approximately 2 a.m. when shots were fired at the hotel. 

According to de Silva, the hotel returned fire, injuring one officer and damaging the van. He admitted that the team had not informed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) or other top officials prior to the operation.

Notably, de Silva revealed that the operation was self-funded, with officers covering expenses including expressway tolls. He described the mission as poorly coordinated, with misleading instructions from senior officers and a lack of official oversight.

The hotel was reportedly occupied by around 20 STF officers at the time of the incident, raising serious questions.

The committee, chaired by Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, summoned four witnesses today (11).