In the wake of the concerning surge in shootings within the Southern Province recently, IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon convened a critical meeting with senior police officers today to address the escalating violence that has resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries across the region.

Police said the IGP met with senior officers of the Galle and Elpitiya Police Divisions.

Recent incidents include the tragic shooting of a Public Health Inspector in the Elpitiya police area on February 26, 2024 as well as a shooting incident in Pitigala on March 11 where two individuals were killed and several others sustained injuries. 

Also, another shooting occurred in Ambalangoda on the same day, claiming the lives of two individuals and injuring three others.

The Senior Deputy Inspector General of the Southern Province, the Galle DIG and senior police officials from both the Galle and Elpitiya Police Divisions joined the meeting with the IGP. 

During the meeting, discussions centered on strategies to effectively combat crime while addressing any existing shortcomings within the law enforcement operations. 

The IGP issued directives for immediate action to arrest those responsible for the shootings and to prevent future occurrences of such crimes.

Police said attention was drawn to the crucial role of the Criminal Investigation Department, Crime Record Division, the Colombo Crimes Division, Community Police Division, Police Special Task Force and the Intelligence Division in addressing the recent spate of shootings. 

Officers were instructed to enhance collaboration, share information and execute their duties diligently to tackle the prevailing challenges.

The IGP said that investigations will be conducted to assess the performance of police OICs and senior officers involved in the handling of recent incidents. 

The IGP said if any misconduct is revealed in the said investigations, disciplinary action will be taken against the relevant officers.