• It was disclosed that there was expired teargas in some police stations. It was revealed that some consignments of teargas had been imported in 2012

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana 

Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) which summoned Senior Police Officers yesterday instructed them to destroy expired teargas. The instruction was given to all Police Stations in the island.  

Senior police officers who were summoned including the IGP denied using expired tear gas. It was disclosed that there was expired teargas in some police stations. It was revealed that some consignments of teargas had been imported in 2012.  MP Harini Amarasuriya questioned as to whether there is any protocol in using teargas. 

Furthermore, according to international conventions, the Chair of the Committee informed that a report should be prepared and submitted to the COPA on the measures taken in controlling the public riots including tear gas. 

Special attention was also paid to the need to improve the language skills of police officers. Senior police officers pointed out that many programmes have been started to impart Tamil and English language skills to police officers. The Committee emphasized the need to streamline those activities.