20 transferred from Deraniyagala Police over killing of Estate Manager
Friday, 19 July 2013 03:57
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Twenty Police officers attached to the Deraniyagala Police Station have been transferred with immediate effect over the murder of Nooriya Tea Estate Manager Nihal Perera, whilst authorities are looking for four more suspects.
The Police have arrested 18 people including the former Chairman of Deraniyagala Pradeshiya Sabha Anil Champika Wijesinghe and the suspects have been remanded until 24 July.
The superintendent of the tea estate, Nihal Perera, 71, was hacked to death on 5 July by a group of people who were reportedly against the measures taken by the Estate Manager to curtail corruption and wastage.
The residents in the area have staged protests against the Police for not taking prompt action to arrest the culprits due to political influence.
The American company managing the Nooriya Tea Estate has also threatened to leave its operations if the Police fails to take action the killing of the Estate’s Superintendent.
The Texas-based American company managing the tea estate, Walters Bay International, has informed Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe that under the present environment they cannot continue the management of the estate.
Reportedly the former Chairman of Deraniyagala Pradeshiya Sabha Anil Champika Wijesinghe and other ruling party politicians were alleged of interfering with the management of the estate.
The people in the area have requested the Police to continue deploying the STF officers to provide security since they fear the violent gang, which reportedly includes the former Council Chairman.
The local politicians had allegedly attacked the deceased plantation Manager two months before the incident and the Police had failed to arrest the culprits.
