Police equipped to face any situation
 

BY ASANGA Warnakulasuriya

THE Police are equipped to control any situation in the coming weeks with additional personnel called into beef up security in Colombo and the suburbs, Colombo DIG Pujith Jayasundara said yesterday.

The DIG told the Daily News that a special security plan will be put into effect with the help of Armed Forces, the Special Task Force and anti-riot squads in the coming weeks in two identified zones in Colombo. The troops will be deployed in strategic locations identified in Colombo City limits and the Parliament area, he said.

Commenting on yesterday's violence near Parliament, the DIG said Police on Thursday had received a tip-off that a political party had planned a demonstration near the Parliament.

Additional Police personnel were called in from Western Province Ranges. Police were compelled to use tear gas as a minimum force to disperse unruly mobs that moved within 75 metres of Parliament, the DIG said.

No casualties were reported and the situation was brought under control within a few hours, DIG Jayasundara added.