Senior Inspector General of Police Deshabandu Thennakoon who is currently on compulsory leave is likely to be arrested today, sources disclosed.

Thennakoon was accused of failing to avert the brutal assault launched on peaceful protests held in GotaGoGama and MainaGoGama on May 09 and is being investigated by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

As a statement was being recorded from the SDIG, Thennakoon had confessed that he had been telephoned by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security and ordered not to dissolve the crowd who attacked the protests.

To corroborate Thennakoon’s story, the CID had obtained the SDIG’s mobile phone and its investigative unit is further probing the case via telephone data.

As a result, the SDIG is said to be arrested today.

MIAP

The crude oil price has surged again in the global market, exceeding the US$ 124 price margin of a barrel of crude oil.

Crude oil prices have been indicating a rise in the global market over the past month and fuel prices in the domestic market have also been rising simultaneously.

Nevertheless, fuel prices are likely to increase again this month given that the Subject Ministry has announced that fuel prices in the domestic market will respond to a ‘fuel price formula’ in compliance with the global market.

MIAP

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has reportedly instructed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to seek former MP Duminda Silva regardless of his whereabouts and arrest him.

Silva who was convicted and sentenced to death row over the murder of Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra was pardoned by the President and former MP Hirunika Premachandra had filed a fundamental rights petition challenging the President’s decision.

Taking the petition into consideration, the Supreme Court decided to suspend the presidential pardon granted to Silva until the conclusion of the hearing. Accordingly, the Court ordered the immediate arrest of the former MP.

Meanwhile, the Attorney General has also instructed the Inspector General of Police to immediately arrest Silva in compliance with the Court order.

Silva is reportedly out of Sri Lanka.

MIAP

Six persons including Wasantha Handapangoda, Chairperson of the pro-Rajapaksa trade union Podujana Guru Sangamaya were arrested yesterday (31) in connection with the brutal assault launched on the peaceful protests held in front of Temple Trees and in GalleFace on May 09 and the suspects are due to be produced before the Fort Magistrate Court today (01).

The suspects were summoned to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for statements after which the arrests were made.

MIAP

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has taken steps to provide relief to those people who have been affected by the floods.

Accordingly, a preliminary discussion was held between the Prime Minister’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake and the District Secretaries of Kalutara, Gampaha and Galle.

During the discussions with the Ratnapura District Secretaries, the Prime Minister has stated that the Treasury Operations Department has allocated funds to provide relief to the people affected by the floods.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has also instructed the Treasury to take steps to provide relief funds through District Secretaries.

Sri Lanka Economic Crisis: Sri Lanka is experiencing its worst financial meltdown since independence, leaving authorities struggling to pay for adequate supplies of vital imports.

Colombo:

Cash-strapped Sri Lanka’s main seaport unveiled a free bicycle service on Tuesday, allowing workers to navigate the facility without petrol-powered vehicles, as the island nation struggles with unprecedented fuel shortages.

The island nation is experiencing its worst financial meltdown since independence, leaving authorities struggling to pay for adequate supplies of vital imports.

Motorists around the South Asian country are forced to spend hours or even days waiting for rationed fuel at gas stations.

The bicycle initiative was aimed at conserving petrol in the Colombo deep-sea container port, Sri Lanka Ports Authority chairman Prasantha Jayamanna said.

“We have built a cycle track along a disused railway line for those who come to the port to use cycles instead of other vehicles,” he told reporters.

The port in Sri Lanka’s capital sits on 469 hectares (1,160 acres) of land, with its longest road stretching four kilometres (2.5 miles) through the facility.

Shipping lines operating through the port — located in the Indian Ocean, along the world’s busiest east-west maritime trade route — donated 100 bikes to kick off the initiative, Jayamanna said.

Despite Tuesday’s announcement, Jayamanna said the port was “insulated from the economic troubles” plaguing Sri Lanka, and was offering petrol from its own reserves to dock workers who were struggling to source fuel elsewhere.

“We are carrying out our work as usual as we have our buffer stocks of fuel,” he added.

Sri Lanka’s economic crisis was sparked by a crunch on foreign currency reserves that also left importers unable to source food, fuel and other goods.

Rampant inflation, frequent blackouts and long queues for essentials have made life a misery for the island’s 22 million people.

The government is seeking urgent assistance from the International Monetary Fund and has also defaulted on Sri Lanka’s $51 billion foreign debt.

Weeks of public protests have called on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign, with police firing tear gas to disperse a huge demonstration outside the leader’s home on Sunday.

Jayamanna said the crisis had not disrupted operations at the port, which generates much of its revenue in dollars and still plans to pay for a $500 million expansion.

NDTV

Investigations are underway into the May 9 attack on the Maina-Go-Gama protest in front of Temple Trees and the Gota-Go-Gama protest in front of the Galle Face Green. Several persons including Members of Parliament and Heads of Local Government Institutions have already been arrested in connection with these investigations.

Police have also been accused of failing to prevent the attack on the 9th and providing security to the attackers. Senior DIG in charge of the Western Province Deshabandu Tennakoon has been sent on compulsory leave.

Deshabandu Tennakoon and a group of senior police officers have told the CID that the IGP and the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security had informed him not to carry out the President’s order despite the President’s order to stop the attackers.

Investigators have taken note of the statement and are conducting further investigations by seizing Deshabandu Tennakoon’s mobile phone. CID officers are working to ascertain whether the DIG’s phone calls and incoming calls were used to prevent the attack.

World crude oil prices have risen. As of yesterday, the price of a barrel of crude oil had exceeded $ 124.

Crude oil prices have risen in the world market over the past month, fuel prices have risen in the domestic market.

However, fuel prices are likely to increase again this month as the Ministry in charge of the subject has announced that fuel prices in the domestic market will also increase in line with the increase in world market prices.