Spotlight on Dehiattakandiya Police retaliate after DWC officials bust bush meat trade

Department of Wildlife and Conservation are facing the wrath of the Dehiattakandiya Police after the officials of the former institute arrested several people for transporting a load of hunted and butchered wild boar and elk meat; the animals are believed to have been killed within the Maduru Oya National Park 

Pix by Samantha Perera

By Prageeth Sampath Karunathilaka and Sudharika Gurusingha

Officials from the Wildlife Department have recently uncovered an illicit trade in which wild boar, deer and elk in the Maduru Oya National Park are killed and sold. A civil security officer from the Welikanda area was previously arrested by officials of the Department of Wildlife and Conservation (DWC) for killing these animals and selling the bush meat through brokers. On October 10, DWC officials received a tip-off regarding a load of hunted and butchered wild boar and elk meat being transported from the Maduru Oya National Park.  

Bush meat

Following the tip-off, DWC officers arrived in the area to intercept the load of meat being transported. Despite the officers’ orders, the van, carrying the meat, went at high speed. On being chase, the van went off the road near Muwagammana in Dehiattakandiya. Three suspects were found transporting the meat in the vehicle. One suspect managed to escape. Subsequent investigations revealed that the suspect who escaped is a sergeant attached to the Dehiattakandiya police.  

Wildlife officials added that the sergeant involved in the incident together with the civil security officer has been engaged in the illegal trade of hunting wild animals and selling the bush meat for a long time. The October 10 raid was conducted based on a tip-off that 47 kilos of elk meet and 17 kilos of wild boar meat were being transported in a van. This operation revealed the roots of the bush meat trade, which, for a long time, has involved the hunting of deer, elk, and wild boar in the Henanigala Indigenous Village. When the van veered off the road and came to a halt, the police sergeant from Dehiattakandiya, who managed to escape, seized a wildlife officer’s mobile phone and fled. During questioning, the two arrested suspects revealed that the meat was being transported at the sergeant’s request.  

A report, bearing No. B 638/24, submitted by the DWC to the court, indicated that the meat was being transported in a green van. According to the report, DWC officials pursued the fleeing van. When they managed to block its path after overtaking it, the van collided with the cab used in the operation by DWC; in Sadunpura area. The van then veered off the road and came to a stop near the Muwagama Yellow Bridge. The vehicle contained 47 kilos of elk meat; elk is considered a highly protected mammal species under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance. There was also17 kilos of wild boar meat, as stated in the B Report. Following the incident, the suspects were presented before the Dehiattakandiya Magistrate’s Court.  

Cruel acts of Dehiattakandiya Police   

The background to this story takes a new turn following a letter sent by the Wildlife Ranger at the Henanigala Park entrance in Nawa Medagama to the Assistant Director of Department of Wildlife Conservation in the Eastern Province. The letter, No.jð$fyms$ out/686/2024, (Wild life Henanigala Exit) highlights the actions of the Dehiattakandiya police officers. It details the cruelty directed at wildlife officials by the police due to the enforcement of wildlife laws regarding the case of the police sergeant involved in the meat hunt on October 10.  

The office of the Maduruoya Department of Wildlife and Conservation

Deer at the sanctuary

Revenue licences for vehicles owned by the DWC are issued by the head office in Colombo. During the issuance of revenue licences, the licences for government vehicles are often delayed. Sometimes these documents arrive one or two months past the due date. While it is illegal for private vehicles to operate with expired revenue licences, government vehicles are generally exempt from this law. This is because the relevant procedures for the issuance of licences are not expedited, causing delays. Consequently, officials in the Traffic Division of the Sri Lanka Police inspects the revenue licences of government vehicles only when absolutely necessary.  

Currently, DWC officers in the Henanigala area are prohibited from driving their government vehicles without valid revenue licences. DWC officials have alleged that this restriction is a form of retaliation following the actions taken against the police sergeant involved in the hunting of wild animals in Dehiattakandiya on October 10. “It is true that driving without a revenue licence is against the law, but wildlife vehicles are government vehicles. The revenue licences for these vehicles are issued by the head office in Colombo, which takes time to process. However, because we don’t have the revenue licences, we cannot halt our efforts to address forest clearing and poaching activities during raids. We have to carry out our duties and cannot let the absence of revenue licences prevent us from addressing these issues. As a result, many government vehicles undergo minimal checks for revenue licences,” Wildlife Ranger W. M. Kumarasiri Wijekoon added.  

No leniency shown to DWC  

On 29-10-2024, traffic officers from the Dehiattakandiya Police issued a ticket to the Animal Warden of the Mawanawela Elephant Control Unit for riding his duty motorcycle (No. BJB 7606) without a valid insurance certificate and revenue licence while on duty. Similarly, on October 31, 2024, officers from the Dehiattakandiya Police Traffic Division issued a ticket to a voluntary guide from the Navamadagama Wildlife Office. When issuing the ticket, the officers had reportedly informed that the Dehiattakandiya OIC had instructed them not to show any leniency toward any individual associated with the DWC. According to the letter sent to the Assistant Director of DWC in the Eastern Province, the Dehiattakandiya OIC has expressed his anger toward the officials at the Henanigala office in Maduru Oya National Park.  

Wildlife Ranger Wijekoon stated that the increased pressure on DWC officials applied by the Dehiattakandiya police is a result of the enforcement of the law against the police sergeant involved in hunting wild animals. He explained that because no attempt was made to release the sergeant after the seizure of the wild boar and elk meat, tickets pertaining to fines are now being issued with regard to DWC vehicles.  

Wijekoon pointed out that, DWC officers in the Henanigala Wildlife Office and Maduru Oya National Park are facing obstacles in performing their duties. Currently, DWC officials are unable to operate tractors, jeeps and motorcycles that are awaiting the renewal of revenue licenses. Wijekoon added that extra effort must be made to nab hunters and enforce the law.   

Wijekoon has requested that the higher authorities address the undue pressure applied by the police, who are furious that the DWC officials did not release the police sergeant found transporting 17 kilos of wild boar meat and 47 kilos of elk meat. The wildlife officers were simply enforcing the law by apprehending individuals engaged in hunting within Maduru Oya National Park. However, according to Wijjekoon, the police believe that the sergeant’s actions should be overlooked by the DWC considering that it is an internal matter, rather than enforcing wildlife regulations. A police officer engaging in illegal hunting within a protected area cannot be dismissed as an institutional issue. Section 66:1 of the Wildlife Ordinance clearly states that police officers are also subject to the law prohibiting the hunting and transportation of wild animals. Furthermore, failing to enforce this law is in itself a punishable offence.  

Despite the clear stipulations of the Wildlife Ordinance, animal hunting by police officers, when it happens, remains unacceptable. Maduru Oya National Park is one of Sri Lanka’s largest reserves, home to rare species. Authorities must consider whether turning a blind eye to hunting and transporting animals from such a protected area is justifiable from an institutional point of view. If those responsible for upholding the law violate it instead, it undermines enforcement, allowing hunters to exploit the situation. Wijekoon said that the witnesses in this case are also increasingly alarmed by hearing that the Dehiattakandiya Police are issuing fines to DWC officers. Such acts are making it difficult for them to protect both witnesses and victims. The police and the DWC are expected to function in cooperation. Wildlife officers receive essential training, including operating weapons at the Kalutara Police Training College, and frequently rely on police support during raids. Wijekoon added that the actions of a few officials could strain the partnership between these two institutions.  

Recently, DWC officers acted on a tip-off and uncovered elk, wild boar, and deer meat during raids at two hotels in Dehiattakandiya city. Another investigation revealed that a security force member in Welikanda had been hunting, killing animals and selling the meat. DWC has initiated an investigation to determine if these operations are part of a larger organised network. Recent reports indicate that DWC officials are facing pressure from individuals involved in the illicit meat trade. If that is the reality, there are doubts whether those involved in the meat smuggling trade are influencing wildlife officers in the guise of police officers. The Acting Inspector General of Police should investigate this issue to ensure DWC officers can perform their duties sans interference. Otherwise, illegal animal trafficking in national parks may continue unchecked.  

This newspaper asked Chief Inspector Gayan Buddhika, attached to the Dehiattakandiya Police, regarding the allegation that the police are issuing tickets to DWC vehicles in retaliation for enforcing the law against the sergeant involved in hunting. He said, “There was no pressure on DWC officers whatsoever. If vehicles don’t possess revenue licences, we issue fine tickets as required by law. They only have one vehicle, not multiple vehicles. The notion that government vehicles are not fined is false. We issued fine tickets to two motorcycles for not possessing revenue licences and insurance certificates, but we have not pressured the DWC officials in any way. We fully support wildlife raids and collaborate with them. If any accusations are directed at us, they must be for some unrelated reason,” affirmed Chief Inspector Buddhika.  

Premaratne Wimaladasa, Assistant Director of the Eastern Province Department of Wildlife and Conservation, also shared his views on the matter. Wimaladasa said, “Our officers reported that DWC vehicles were fined for not possessing revenue licences and insurance certificates. The Director General of Wildlife was informed about this. The police are fining us due to our fault. We have made a request through the Director General to notify the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) and Senior DIG for the Eastern Province and Ampara District Police to inform the relevant OIC about this issue. It’s possible that the OIC exerted some influence. A separate investigation is currently being conducted by the police to probe this issue.”  

“If the Dehiattakandiya police acted in this manner, it shows a lack of professionalism on their part,” said the Assistant Director of the Eastern Province Department of Wildlife and Conservation. “We received information that poaching activities are still continuing in the area. In one recent incident, an individual caught hunting was identified as a commanding officer from a security division in Pothuvil, and he has since been suspended. Civil security personnel and Air Force personnel were also apprehended by our officials. Our officials have faced numerous challenges, but we are committed to enforcing the law according to the provisions of the Wildlife Act. Those who break the law will be held accountable,” said Wimaladasa.