Police Headquarters warned the public against taking the law into their hands at any given situation as the law would be implemented and repercussions would have to be faced.

Police cited the example of 105 individuals who had been taken into custody in the past year for damaging property and injuring people.

Another 33 persons were arrested yesterday in Makulewa, Galnewa apart from the 17 arrested during the weekend for damaging the properties of three suspects arrested in connection with the death of a person on April 17.

Three were arrested for assaulting two policemen on and taking their batons in the Akuressa police division on April 14, and another six, on charges of assaulting two policemen in Dematagoda on April 22, police spokesman Ajith Rohana said.

“No one has the power to assault any person or damage any property. The police is the only institution which has the authority to implement the law,” he said.

SP Rohana also noted that five persons were arrested last year for damaging property belonging to the main suspects in custody over the killing of Dr. Prasad Jayasinghe in Karandeniya.

In another incident police arrested 26 individuals who overran the Dompe police station after a suspect died while in police custody. Another 15 were arrested in Puttalam for assaulting a policeman, he said.

SP Rohana said steps had been taken to monitor those involved in such activities with the assistance of video footages and CCTV cameras.

Source: Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka